Descent
by MattSaotome
Summary: Ranma's feeling rather upset after the wedding crashed at the hands of his and Akane's family and suitors. Now things continue forward, but can Ranma and the gang handle this latest fastball, arriving in the form of one Jason Kavner? RanxAk. Contains OCs
1. Prologue

**This is a repost of a story I started almost a year ago, and it's been stewing almost since then. Seeing as how I've revived it, I figured it'd be a good idea to repost it. Oh, and there've been some formatting changes as well.**

**Hmm... Well, Enjoy, folks!!**

* * *

Prologue

Sweat clung to his entire body. He tossed and turned under a deep blue sheet, unable to sleep easily. In his dream, blackness surrounded him. He could see nothing in the darkness, but he could hear the voices. Quiet whispers came to his ears, bringing with them a message that he did not want to hear.

Blonde strands of his own hair blew around his face from time to time, even though there was no breeze. Other than the blackness, there were only the whispers.

_Umanrin_

The voice chanted over and over again.

"Who are you?" he finally cried into the darkness. His navy blue eyes seemed to shrink away from the black abyss around him.

_Umanrin_, the voice whispered again. In the distance, he could see a shape forming before him. There was no color to it at all. It was a shadow within a shadow, purest black within black.

"Leave me alone!" he hollered. The shadow moved closer, and he turned to run. As much as he ran, he seemed to gain no distance between himself and the thing.

_Umanrin_, the shape said again, its raspy tone deep yet hollow, resonating through the darkness. _Come home. It is your destiny._

"No!" he cried out, trying to run faster.

The shape bore down on him and enveloped him whole. The incredible blackness surrounding him brought on a new level of panic, and he cried out even louder.

"NO!!"

Jason shot up in his bed. Sweat poured freely from him, and he was vaguely aware that the sheet felt soaked through.

_That damned stupid dream again! No… not a dream… a friekin' nightmare!_

Sitting now in the darkened room, it was just a reminder to him of it all. He reached out a trembling hand and flicked on the lamp that stood on his bed stand, illuminating the room around him.

His heavy breathing seemed to thunder in the stillness of the room, so loud it was almost an assault on his eardrums. Out of instinct, he reached down and scooped up the dagger from beside his alarm clock. Clipping it onto his boxers, he turned his head to look at the time.

_Three thirty in the morning_, he thought with a tinge of regret that it was not later, wishing that he could just get up now and not have to face trying to go back to sleep. He looked around the room with a hint of panic still in his eyes. Then, flipping the sheet off of himself, he rose up and went to the washroom.

Flicking on the light before walking through the door, he entered and moved to the mirror, turning on the cold water tap of the pedestal sink beneath it.

_Thank goodness for small blessings_, he thought to himself as he took a cloth from beside the sink and began to carefully wet it under the running water. He wrung it out just as carefully, letting most of the liquid run off the tips of his fingers and back into the sink. He then brought it up to his head and wiped at his brow. Overwhelmed by how good it felt, he continued applying the cool compress, sighing almost out of relief. He reached for the hanger on the wall beside the sink and removed the burgundy hand towel from it. Wiping his forehead clean, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror for a moment without moving.

Almost beyond his perception, the whisper started again. So silent at first, then becoming more persistent as it grew steadily louder. He leaned in closer to his reflection, as if it were what was speaking to him.

_Umanrin_

Jason slammed himself back against the wall hard, slightly cracking the drywall behind him. A black shape appeared on the mirror, fading into view. The shadow took over his reflection. Red, menacing eyes shone back at him laced with malice. He stared back wide-eyed, suddenly consumed by them. He could see no good there, only an endlessly dark pit that came from deep within. Jason panicked again, shaking his head from side to side, his eyes never leaving the reflection in the mirror.

"Not again…" he trembled as the words shook from his suddenly dry lips.

_Come home, Umanrin_, the shape spoke to him, though it had no mouth. It was only black and jagged, roughly forming to the reflection that it covered.

"Who are you!?" He cried back at the shape, wanting an explanation from this dark figure. He found he could not look away, as the burning red of its eyes would not release him from its steadfast gaze.

_You already know_, the shape said, its voice dark and menacing. _We are one, you and I_.

"NO!" Jason screamed in a roar of defiance. He refused to believe that his fate was tied to the thing before him. He would not let it break him. "I'm nothing like you! You're just a low-class Shadow Demon!"

_Come home_, the voice beckoned once again. _Talin Grethor awaits you._

Jason could take it no longer. Unfortunately he could not take his eyes away from the shadow's own. Still, unwilling to let it continue, he threw himself forward away from the wall with a scream, drawing back his fist as he did so, and following through with a solid punch to the mirror, putting all his strength behind it. The mirror shattered into hundreds of pieces, his fist continuing on through the drywall behind it. As the glass fell away, so did the bathroom around him. Light turned to blackness again, and once more, Jason cried out.

* * *

Ranma sat on the bench overlooking the lake at the park. He hadn't really moved from the spot he was in for well over three hours. He was wearing his white Chinese sleeveless shirt and his usual black slacks. In his copper-blue eyes there shone a reflection of the lake before him, but he wasn't actually seeing it. Behind his aimless stare, he was instead looking back to the night before.

A white tuxedo, two meddling fathers, three crazy rivals, three utterly insane suitors (he refused to view them as Fiancées since none of them were his choice), and a cask of Nanniichuan later, he had almost been a married man!

He lifted his head a little more, his gaze flitting to the skyline above the city in the distance. A new vision danced behind his copper-blues now, a vision of beauty, one of Akane, clad in her western wedding dress, smiling at him softly before he went and ruined it by arguing with her again.

_Gods, she misunderstands me so easily_. Ranma thought with more than a little trepidation. _I tried to tell her that I didn't SAY it, but… Kami, I've screwed it up again_.

"Hey, Ran-chan."

A shiver went up Ranma's spine. It wasn't the normal fear quotient he'd dealt with when one of his suitors would show up. This was something else entirely. He slowly turned his head to the side as to view the new arrival. Ukyo was clad in her usual outfit, with her hair tied up by that stupid white bow she sometimes wore. She didn't have her combat spatula on her back, but the band of throwing spatulas was still strapped across her front. Her face seemed to be a mixture of worry, embarrassment, and hope.

Ranma scowled at her as his mind began replaying her part in the disaster that had been his wedding. A part she had never once apologized for, even though she had blatantly disregarded the safety of every single person who had been present, the most important of those being Akane. He felt his anger flare at the thought. That look of hope was about to get a good beating!

"Ukyo," he growled. Her face fell a little as she noticed that he had failed to use her nickname, Ucchan. Ranma barely seemed to notice as he plowed onward, his scowl deepening a little. "I don't think you should be callin' me that any more. That's reserved for a friend ta use. After what you did ta me an' Akane… I don't think I EVER knew you."

A piece of Ukyo's heart was ripped out of her chest by Ranma's words, and her breathing grew a little desperate as she sat on the bench beside him.

"But Ran-ch… Ranma…" she breathed out, choosing her words carefully. "They were going to marry you to that uncute tomboy without your permiss-"

Ranma was off the bench and stood leaning over Ukyo in a heartbeat, his finger right in her face. "Don't you EVER call her that, understand! Those are MY names for her! NOT yours!"

Ukyo's face fell ashen, and she glared down at the pavement, her eyes going quite red. It was obvious that she was fighting back some tears.

"So she's a friend to you then?" Ukyo asked, the question sounding more like an observation. By his own admission, the words 'uncute' and 'tomboy' had been his pet names for Akane. All this time, she had thought them insults. Now, here he was, slowly bashing away at all her preconceptions.

Ranma stood up straight and crossed his arms in front of his chest, his hard stare not leaving Ukyo's downcast eyes.

"And more…" he answered. Ukyo's face twisted a little, her eyes going wide. Her head shot up and she met his gaze full on, her eyes locking steadfast with his. What she saw there made her breath catch and her heart ache. The look he wore was ripe with pain and laced with anger. She felt a tremor of fear and her cheeks burned hot as she realized that the anger was now directed at her, the pain an obvious result of her recent actions.

Oh, Gods… What have I done…?

"M-more?" Ukyo whimpered. "Ran… Ranma… what am I to you, then?"

Ranma sighed heavily. He closed his eyes and hung his head down, his arms still crossed over his chest. "Ukyo… Ya gotta understand somethin'. When ya first came here, you weren't lookin' for me ta marry me. You were lookin' ta get revenge for being abandoned. All those years ago… I thought you were a guy. Don't you get it? A Guy! Any memories I have of ya from back then are of me and my best friend Ucchan; a boy. That's what ya were ta me back then."

Ukyo swallowed hard. "And now…?"

Ranma's eyes opened, and he looked right at her. His usual shimmering pools were barren and empty; his expression as hard as stone.

"Now you've gone and screwed it up," he answered bluntly. "Comin' to the wedding and throwin' around bombs like that. No regard for the safety o' anyone. That's not what a martial artist does, Ukyo!

"Look, I thought that we could be friends an' all, and you bein' a girl wouldn't end up mattering. Fuh. Guess I was wrong 'bout that, huh? The second I call ya 'cute', an' I was just tryin' ta cheer ya up, by the way… suddenly you're chasin' after me babbling 'bout getting hitched and being my fiancée."

Ukyo shook her head a little. "But, Ran-chan, I love you."

"Don't!" Ranma scolded her, his scowl growing deeper. "Don't call me that, Ukyo. Whatever friendship I was hopin' we could have got blown away by yer own bombs. Don'tcha get it? Ukyo… I can't love you. In the back of my mind… you're still Ucchan, my best childhood friend; a GUY."

Tears rushed down Ukyo's red cheeks, her eyes shimmering as she looked back at him. His face remained an impassible barrier, and no matter how hard she tried, she found that there was no way to tell what was going on inside his head.

"So…" she sniffed, looking away from him. "So that's it, then?"

Ranma's eyes softened a little, but his determination remained rock-solid. "Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I'm afraid it is, Ukyo."

"No!" She exclaimed harshly, throwing herself off the bench to jump right in his face. "I won't accept that from you, Ranma!"

Ranma stood his ground, his eyes narrowing upon her, as he steeled his resolve. He wasn't surprised by her outburst, after all he'd come to expect this sort of thing, he only wished he'd found a way to deal with it before it had gotten so out of hand.

He watched her face twist with anger even as the tears gained in strength. "You _owe_ me, Ranma! You and that fat Panda you have for an old man!"

Ranma felt his scowl slowly set back in. He began to shake a little as he tried to control his growing anger, a low growl escaping him. "Don't do this, Ukyo." He warned. "You'll only hurt yourself by doin' this."

She ignored his warning, pressing forward, her anger outweighing any future consequence. "It's not like it could be any worse than what you're doing to me now," she snorted, giving him a piercing stare. "Our fathers made a promise Ranma. Or have you forgotten!"

Ranma could feel his frustration rising steadily with every word she uttered, her accusation only managing to ignite a firestorm inside of him. "Look Ukyo," he said through clenched teeth. "I ain't responsible for _any_ decisions made by my old man! It ain't his right to make decisions like that for me!"

"That doesn't matter, Ranma!" Ukyo hollered in return. "Genma took my father's yatai as a dowry! Honor now says that you have to follow through with their agreement!"

Ranma felt his temper finally snap at her righteous indignation. "MY FATHER'S HONOR HAS NOTHIN' TA DO WITH ME!!" He was practically seething with anger, his cheeks burning a bright red.

He was tired of her using his honor against him like this, as if what he thought or felt about the matter was of no consequence. It simply infuriated him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to bring himself back under control. "If that old fool was stupid enough ta make promises like that to Kami only knows how many people, how the hell do you expect me ta live up to all of them, huh?? I'm bound by my _father's_ honor to marry half the population of Japan!!"

Ukyo shook her head in defiance. "_None_ of them have the claim on you that I have!"

Ranma's eyes narrowed at her implication. "And what sorta claim is that Ukyo?" he asked, he voice low, guttural. "One where I get no say in what happens ta me?" He shook his head in disgust. "All you girls think ya own me. Only Akane ever treats me like what I think matters. Well, I got news for ya Ukyo, no one owns me. You got it!?"

Ukyo opened her mouth to say something, but found no words would come. Was that how he really saw her, she thought sickly, as some sort of bully intent only on what she wanted? Had she really been so blinded by her own love for him that she had simply disregarded his feelings in the whole matter? She felt a sudden shame wash over her and did her best to tamp it down. There was, after all, still the little matter of the dowry paid to his father. He still owed her something for that.

"So what're you gonna do about my father's Yatai? Huh?!" She said, unable to stop herself. She knew she was pushing him but his accusation had stung more than she cared to admit. "Is it all just water under the bridge to you, Ranma?! Do you even _care_?"

Ranma squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching and unclenching rapidly at his sides. Of course he cared! What the hell did she take him for? _Your idiot pops, no doubt_, his mind responded instantly. He mentally chuckled humorlessly. He didn't know why he should be surprised. She never hesitated to throw it in his face when things weren't going her way. Still, this guilty until proven innocent act was beginning to sorely rub at his patience.

"Listen here, Ukyo," he gritted. "Of _course_ I care about your father's yatai. I ain't tryin ta say that wrong things ain't been done by my old man. He's done a _lot _wrong, and now it seems I gotta make up for it all the time."

"So just what are you saying Ranma?" Ukyo stated bluntly, not caring anymore if she provoked his ire. "That you'll pay for it, and then to hell with the rest?" She crossed her own arms firmly in front of her, casting a deeper scowl in his direction.

Ranma felt his frustration slip another notch. "Let. Me. Finish." He punctuated each word, trying desperately to contain his anger, if only for the sake of their future friendship, something that he knew he still wanted to try and hold onto. "What about the damage to my mom's place and the Tendo Dojo, Ukyo? Don'tcha think that cancels out _any _amount that _my old man _owed to yours fer the Yatai?"

Ukyo snapped. "THAT'S NOT FAIR, RANMA!!"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "FAIR?! FAIR!?" he asked incredulously, his eyes boring into hers. "AND HOW WAS WHAT YA DID TO MY MOM'S PLACE AND THE TENDO'S 'FAIR' TA THEM, HUH??"

Ranma gritted his teeth in frustration, adrenaline still throbbing through his veins as he struggled to maintain control over his near-exploding temper. He never liked it when he lost control, and set his mind not to let it happen again. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When he finally spoke his voice was low but firm.

"You wanna preach 'bout takin' responsibility for your own actions, Ukyo? Then why doncha stop and take a long look at your behavior at my wedding, look at how low your obsession with me has made you sink. The danger you ended up puttin' people in. Then consider your part in destroyin' my mom's home, and the Tendo's Dojo. Think of what it's gonna cost them and start findin' a way ta make it up to them, cuz this insanity has ta stop. This isn't you Ukyo, at least it's not the person I used ta know, and if this is the way it's gonna continue ta be then any friendship we might have is over."

His nose was now less than an inch from hers. She flinched at the harshness of his words, shame washing over her, as she watched him finally take a step back, putting a more comfortable distance between them. The tears falling down her face increased their fervency, now flowing out in two gushing streams to soak her cheeks. She collapsed to her knees, utterly spent of all excuses, and sat back on her heels as she took her own face in her hands and began to sob.

"I… I d-don't want to… to lose you… R-Ranma…" she choked into her hands.

Ranma stood a few feet away, fighting the urge to let it all drop and make her feel better; anything to stop her from crying. He hated it when a girl cried, especially when that girl was his best friend. He clenched his teeth and set his jaw as he stepped two feet closer and sank down into a crouch, his elbows planted on the tops of his thighs.

"Ukyo…" he said quietly, his voice causing her to sniffle loudly, but she finally turned her face up to look back at him. His expression had softened just a little, but it was enough for Ukyo to be able to see it. "It'll be up to _you_ whether or not ya lose me. Do you understand?"

Ukyo tossed his words over and over in her mind. Did she understand? Could she accept that Ranma had not chosen her in the end? That her actions had indeed canceled out any debt Ranma owed her for her father's Yatai? That, maybe he was right and for the first time in two years, she was beginning to realized the fact that she had to find a way to fix the mess that Genma had put them all in? …That none of it had really been Ranma's fault, or responsibility, to begin with?

She swallowed hard, and felt two years worth of bitterness, betrayal and pride slide down her throat. She nodded slowly, finally looking out across the lake. "Will you… will you ever… f-forgive me?"

"I… I don't know, Ukyo… I-I think so… but I'm not the only one who needs ta forgive you."

Ukyo nodded again. She knew that Ranma wouldn't stay angry, but there were a few people that just might. His mother and Mr. Tendo weren't likely to go easy on her for her hand in the massive damages to both their properties. Not to mention what she had put Akane through.

"I know," she breathed, simply letting the tears take their course now, hoping it meant that they would end sooner. "I just wanted to know… if we… if we would still be… f-friends…" She choked on the last word, almost resenting what it meant, but also struggling with the fact that, maybe, just maybe, she treasured that even more closely than anything else in the world right now.

Ranma was caught a little off-guard by the question. It almost sounded as if Ukyo was more crushed at the thought of losing his friendship than he would have been for ending it. Could it be possible that, in her mind, she hadn't loved him like she thought? Was it possible that a larger part of her just didn't want to lose him as a friend?

Heh… I guess that means there's a chance after all…

"I don't know, Ukyo." Ranma breathed in reply, casting his own gaze out across the lake as he stood slowly to his full height. "Maybe we can, y'know, give it another try or somethin'. Being friends, I mean. I'd… I'd like my old friend back. I just… I need some time, Ukyo… just ta clear my head a bit."

Ukyo took in a shaky breath, and decided to grab the life-line he'd just tossed her for all it was worth.

"Well," she coughed a bit, her parched throat now taking its toll. Finally, standing up as well, she looked his way once more, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand. The corners of her mouth trembled a little as she forced a smile onto her pale appearance. It wasn't much of one, but it was enough to take away some of the pain that had covered her expression. "I guess… I'll just have to wait, then."

Despite the current state of his feelings toward her, Ranma found himself returning her smile, his eyes softening slightly. "You were always good at waitin' Ukyo, thanks for givin' me this time an' space. It goes a long way in showin' me that you really do wanna be my friend."

Ukyo's face took on a new resolve, and after a moment of silence passed between them, she gave him a slight nod, her eyes conveying her sincerity. "I do Ranma, I really do."

She took a step towards him and brushed a hand down his arm until she was holding his hand. She gave it a quick squeeze, and then leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She moved her mouth to his ear and whispered to him.

"See ya around the ward, huh?"

Ranma nodded. "Okay."

Ukyo pulled away from him, releasing his hand. She cast one final sad look in his direction, but quickly followed it up with a hopeful wink. Then, she turned on her heel and walked away from him, a new form of hope sliding into her gait as she went. There was so much more that she wanted to ask him; so much more that she needed to know. Those answers would have to come at another time, however. For now, she was physically exhausted; as if she'd just fought some great battle. Had she really lost? She wasn't quite sure. Maybe, then again, maybe she'd won more in the end than she'd been handed for the last two years. Maybe, if she could win back his trust, she could be his best friend again, like they had been way back when… then he wouldn't have to be wary of her anymore, as she now knew he had been this whole time. He wouldn't have to feel he was walking a fine line around her, wondering if he made the wrong move what she would do next, especially to the one he'd _truly_ chosen. He hadn't said it out loud, but it wasn't like she'd been clueless all this time, either. She couldn't imagine it had been fun for him, and if friendship was all he could offer her, well then it was sure better than the alternative.

She felt her tenacity strengthen at this thought, and her bearing grew even more with her renewed determination. She wouldn't play that part again. Deep down she was aware that a part of her had never really wanted to hurt the Tendo girl. She also knew Ranma was right when he had said Akane was the only one who had always considered his feelings in any decision involving him. Perhaps it was time she took a lesson from this. Ranma needed space, and some time to think, and that was exactly what she intended to give him… and in the meantime she would go on to do some soul searching of her own.

Ranma watched her go, her form slowly mingling back into the populace of Nerima. He gave a deep sigh, feeling the burden of their conversation begin to float off his shoulders, as he turned once again to look out over the park. Taking a step back, he sat down heavily on the bench once more, his eyes traveling out over the skyline of the city in the distance, a single tear rolling unabated down his right cheek.

* * *

His breathing was harsh as he threw himself into a sitting position, startled to find that he was once again back in bed. The blaring alarm clock told him that it was now seven in the morning. He breathed heavy as reality faded in, and he considered the possibility that it was all just a dream. Turning on the lamp and rubbing his eyes, he shut off the alarm and grabbed his dagger. Pushing the sheet sleepily off of himself, Jason rose and headed for the bathroom.

Flipping on the light, he walked in and made his way to the mirror. The first thing he noticed as he entered was the crack that was there in the drywall. He frowned at this, panning his vision down to the floor, where his jaw dropped at the sight of the broken glass scattered over it. He hissed as a surge of fresh pain shot up his right arm from his hand, and he lifted it to his face in confusion. His eyes grew large at the sight of the abrasions on his knuckles, dried blood covering its back and palm. He finally looked up and saw the destroyed mirror in front of him.

"Oh, Gods… No…" he whispered.

* * *

Edmonton International Airport was a bustle of activity. Hundreds of people scurried across the floors to get to their flights, while those that arrived off of them tended to linger and mingle amongst the crowds at the coffee and snack shops. At one of the flight gates for International Air, a woman was tapping her finger against the solid surface of the check-on-counter with mild impatience. In front of her, Jason was fumbling with a pile of papers, trying to show them to her all at once and failing miserably.

On the scan-screen in front of her were the contents of Jason's largest bag. Her eyes had grown quite large at the sight, and she had promptly refused to let him on the plane. After mumbling a few curse words in a language the old lady couldn't really understand, Jason had started going through his jacket pockets and producing pieces of paper. Papers that, she now realized, were separate permits to carry each weapon that lined the interior of the bag.

"And then for the throwing knives… and the Wakuzashi… and the broadsword!" Jason finally came to a halt, looking back at the clerk with hard eyes. She shook her head slowly from side to side, and then gave an exasperated sigh.

"Very well, young man." She rubbed her temples a little. "A ticket to Tokyo International is quite expensive, you know. Especially with the… uh… extra 'luggage' that you are carrying."

Jason's eyes gleamed. "Money I got. Just tell me how close Tokyo International is to the Nerima Ward."

* * *

Akane shuffled her feet as she walked, looking down at the ground. Her short, raven-blue hair blew out around her face in the slight breeze that flitted through the air, as she kicked a loose pebble across the sidewalk. She had been walking back from the store, having picked up a few small dinner items for Kasumi. The errand had been a wonderful excuse to get out of the house and away from her babbling father, so she had jumped on it like white on rice.

The events of yesterday followed hot on the heels of her mind, and she found that she couldn't stop thinking about what had transpired. Her father had somehow managed to talk her into going through with that stupid wedding idea. Why had she even agreed to it?! She'd been trying to convince herself all day that it had been because of that stupid Nanniichuan water that Happosai had guzzled back. Though the truth be told, she'd had quite a different reason for agreeing to marry Ranma.

_I KNOW I heard him say it… I know I did!_ She shook her head, trying to clear the clutter in her mind as best she could. She cast her memory back to the day before yesterday with more than a little pain. She remembered floating above her body, seeing herself lying so still in Ranma's arms. She saw the tears on his face, and even now, her heart went out to him. Then she heard him cry out the words she'd so longed to hear, 'I Love You'.

She had felt her weightlessness shatter with the sentiment and for the next few seconds the world had suddenly become a massive swirling blur. The next thing she knew, she was whispering his name, her eyes opening ever so slowly to stare up into his beautiful face.

_He said it… I heard him… Oh, Ranma. Why did you fight with me over this? Aren't we past all this by now?_

She raised her head from the sidewalk at the sound of approaching footsteps. The sudden introduction of the daylight to her peripheral vision stung a little, but she quickly became accustomed to the change. What she saw made her instantly stop in her tracks.

Ahead of her, sitting on a park bench off to the side of the street, was Ranma. He was looking at something out across the lake. Her eyes then spotted Ukyo, who was walking a good distance to her left, heading off in the direction of her restaurant. What got Akane's immediate attention was the way Ukyo had looked.

The chef's face was flushed, and it was quite obvious that she had been crying. Her gaze was held low, shifting back and forth between her feet and the pavement ahead of her. Puzzled, Akane threw one more quick glance over at Ranma. He wore an expression that barely hinted at some kind of internal pain. It was masked, however, by the resolution that still lined his handsome features.

Akane gave her head a quick shake and began walking again. She knew that Ranma had probably heard her footsteps by now, and there was no point in trying to hide from someone who could tell you were there without the need to even glance your way. With this thought in mind, she walked over and stood beside the park bench, her own eyes sweeping across the lake, trying to see what Ranma found so interesting.

Silence passed between them for a few long moments before Akane gave a deep sigh and finally broke it.

"How're you doing, Ranma?"

Ranma, for his part, seemed to think long and hard about that particular question. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, considering the truest way to answer it. Finally, he did the last thing Akane ever expected him to at that moment. He chuckled.

"Heh, surprisingly good." He shook his head in bewilderment at himself. "Kinda weird, actually. I thought fer sure I'd feel like crap by now, but…"

She didn't want to, but she found herself smiling back at him a little.

"Baka," she said softly. "What did you say to Ukyo?"

His face hardened a little. She watched his eyes quiver a bit, a telltale sign that he was going over something important. Another minute of silence followed her question, but today of all days, Akane didn't feel like there was any need to rush him. Finally, Ranma cleared his throat.

"Akane," he sighed. "I'm gonna say somethin' that I don't want ya to take the wrong way, Okay?"

She raised an eyebrow in confusion at the pig-tailed martial artist, but slowly nodded back at him. "Alright."

He looked down at his hands as they lay folded together in his lap. "I'm not ready ta talk about her yet. I've gotta figure some stuff out first. An' I don't want ya thinkin' that I'm tryin' ta choose, or nothin', cause I ain't playin' that stupid game anymore."

Akane blinked a couple of times, staring at Ranma as though he were painted a bright pink. Her first instinct had been to lash out at him for not wanting to talk about his conversation with Ukyo, but then that would only have given into her usual habit of making assumptions where he was concerned. Something that Ranma had specifically asked her not to do. That meant there had to be some deeper meaning behind his request. Should she be worried? She shook her head quickly at the thought. Kami, where had that even come from?!

"Ranma," she breathed. "If you… don't want to talk about it, then that's… okay. But what did you mean by that last part? The one about not playing 'that stupid game' anymore?"

Ranma shuffled his feet nervously, his hands tightening their hold on one another.

"I just meant that… I ain't gonna let people try an' make up my mind for me anymore. It should be _my _choice, who I wanna… y'know… be with."

Akane absent-mindedly nodded her head in agreement. It was all too true, and something she could completely relate to. So many people had tried on a daily basis to impose themselves on her. Her father for one, was always trying to push her closer to Ranma. The sad thing being that in retrospect his and Genma's constant interference had only garnered them quite the opposite effect most of the time. And Kuno, that stupidly ridiculous excuse for a Shakespearean wanna-be, had hounded her every single chance he could to go out with him. He was simply incapable of understanding how anyone could refuse to have their lives be intertwined with his oh-so-glorious-self. He endured the beatings he received from her for the simple fact that he believed them either to be due to what he saw as Ranma's undeniable hold on her, or accidental underestimations on her part of her own brute strength. If she hit him he would often proclaim something along the lines of, 'I shall forgive my love for not looking where thou hast moved thine fist before chancing to open it and welcome me into thine arms'. Or of course his favorite line, 'damn that foul sorcerer Saotome. How he doth have an evil hold on my fair Akane Tendo. I shall smite him where he stands'. The thought alone made her shake her head at the sheer stupidity of it all.

"I know what you mean, Ranma." She answered quietly. "Umm… should we, maybe… talk about the uh, wedding thing?"

Ranma sighed heavily before looking back up at her. "Do _you_ wanna?"

Akane thought for a moment, then shook her head 'no'.

"Me either." Ranma finished, looking back at the lake. Silence grew between them again, but this time, both of them were beginning to feel more than a little awkward. Glances shot between one another from the corners of curious eyes revealed some hidden topic that still remained, as of yet, un-addressed. After several minutes of this, Ranma slid over slightly on the bench, leaving enough room for Akane to join him.

She looked down at the spot he'd just made for her, and for a few seconds, she just stared at it fixedly. Then, her movements becoming somewhat automatic, she stepped to the front of the bench and sat down beside him. Slowly, and more than a little awkwardly, his arm stretched out across the back of the bench behind her. She picked up his cue instantly, shifting her position, as she leaned slightly into his shoulder.

No words were exchanged, either in insult, or in conversation. Instead, they simply took in the scene before them silently, both enjoying the sudden peaceful tranquility of such a beautiful day, and the secure comfort they found in each other's company.

They watched as some children played a game of soccer in the grassy field off to the left. While ducks took turns swimming idly by on the surface of the lake, dipping their heads under the water every now and then, as they searched for fish. The reflection of the noon sun shone bright off the water while on the outskirts, a jet was coming into view, slowly making its way across the sky to Tokyo International Airport.

* * *

**Next up, Jason touches down in Tokyo, but with some unexpected side-effects for the greater host of Nerima's more experienced Martial Artists. And just what is that Ryouga up to, anyways?**

**Review away guys. It's all motivation material for me! You know you wanna...**

**Matt Saotome**


	2. Chapter 1

**And the next chapter...**

* * *

Chapter 1

Grey, cloth covered seats, all lined up in rows of three, ran from one end of the compartment to the other. The light-brown carpet under his feet brought a sharp contrast when it mixed with the grey, but to him it looked even more at odds against the cream-white walls of the jet's interior.

He sighed heavily as he looked down. The food tray that protruded off the back of the seat ahead of him glared a garishly red, making him give a final snort of disgust at the choice of color schemes employed by the airline. He was suddenly struck with the realization of just how badly the shade of the trays clashed with the overall interior of the compartment.

Grumbling something about a bull having a hay-day on this particular flight, Jason once again picked up his white plastic fork and began to play with the half-eaten ham and cheese omelette that sat on the disposable plate in front of him. He eyed the full glass of ice water resting just a few inches away for a moment, before taking a quick sip from it. Sighing disgustedly, he dropped his fork and planted his elbow on the arm of his seat, supporting the weight of his head in his palm, no longer acknowledging the omelette, but rather staring straight through it.

The events of the previous night were hot on his mind. He kept flashing back to images of the broken bathroom mirror, which in turn caused him to lift and stare at his abraised hand fixedly, looking for confirmation that he hadn't just dreamed it all; that it had actually happened.

Was he losing his mind? As if he were answering his own question, he slowly shook his head, dropping his hand back to the food tray in front of him with a limp thud. Of course he wasn't going crazy. He was just too terrified to consider the alternative. It was, after all, the main reason he carried the dagger around with him everywhere; the main reason he was traveling to Japan now with a hockey bag full of weapons. His family's unfortunate birthright… and it wasn't even really that.

He was preyed upon simply for who he was; what his bloodline represented. It had been several hundred years ago that his family had stood up against the power of the demon god 'Purchitti', who according to his late father, was an entity so evil it thought nothing of tearing apart helpless villages and destroying thousands in varying displays of inhumanity. Purchitti's greatest power had been the loyalty he was able to command and received from the lower-to-mid-class demon forms around the globe and in the lower levels of the underworld. His forefathers had managed to put something of a stop to Purchitti's murderous intent, expelling the demon god from this plane of existence, limiting him completely to the darkness of the underworld. Needless to say, Purchitti did not take too kindly to this, and had been out for his family's blood ever since. _What a lovely gift to have been passed down the family line_, he thought snidely. _God, some days I wish I'd been born a rabbit or somethin'!_

Jason took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _OK, so I've been possessed_, he admitted. He felt a red tinge light up his face at the thought. It drifted slowly over his expression, as he became slightly angry with himself. _By a low-class moron, to boot! Damn it all, I thought I was stronger than that!_

_You've never been that strong, and you know it_, his inner voice reprimanded. Jason blinked a couple of times in surprise before his expression slowly sank into a scowl. One of the many traits of this particular demon that possessed him, was its ability to mimic the host's inner voice. Jason was well aware of the strength level he himself was classified at, and it filled him with fury that the being inside him dared to mock his current inability to lay a finger on it.

_Well don't get fuckin' comfy_, Jason spoke inwardly. _The second I expel you, I'm gonna mop the floor with you!!_

'...' Was the silent response.

_That's what I thought!_

"Attention passengers: We are now passing over the greater Tokyo area, and we'll be coming in to land in about five minutes. For those of you who are interested, it's a hell of a view out the port side…"

Jason turned his head at the announcement, looking out the window of the jet, his face devoid of all emotion. He set his jaw slightly, his vision narrowing as he saw Tokyo unfolding beneath them in all its glory. He knew what it was he had come for. He could no longer ignore the dreams. He also knew that he had to face what destiny had handed him in order to fully understand what was going on, and he knew of only one man that could help him to do it. What a pity that it was by reputation alone.

Tokyo was not a sight without familiarity to him, though he had never flown there before. The last time he had entered this city was two years back. He'd been on the trail of what he had thought was the demon that had killed his parents. How wrong he had been. He'd yearned so badly for revenge, was so driven by it, that he hadn't bothered to actually determine the facts before going off on his blind crusade. Afterward he had considered himself to be such a fool for listening to rumor and hearsay. It had been a wild goose chase all along; one that had lead him across the entire Asian continent before ending in utter pointlessness here in Tokyo. He grimaced as he recalled certain specifics of the chase that had eventually lead him here, only to end nowhere. He had sacrificed so much, spurred on by the belief that he was close to attaining his revenge. He felt his anger begin to rise, as he unconsciously balled the hand resting in his lap into a fist. Before he could stop and think about what he was doing, he smashed it down on the food tray in front of him, tearing the metal support rods that kept it in place and sending his unfinished meal to the floor. The tray itself soon followed, along with the glass of ice water, as it toppled over, spilling its contents over him before smashing to the floor. He sat stewing in his anger for a moment, his frustration rising to an almost desperate level.

_You'd better be easy to find, Ranma Saotome!_

"Is everything alright, Miss?" One of the flight attendants had come to stand beside Jason's row of seats, looking at the disaster area that was now present on the floor. Slowly, she glanced back up into the navy blue eyes of one of the seat's occupants. Her red hair reached down past lithe shoulders, stopping mid-back. It flowed gracefully as the head attached to it turned to face her, a scowl evident on an otherwise beautiful complexion.

"I'm fine," the musical voice replied, leaving only the icy daggers of its after-effect to suggest otherwise. "At least, I _will_ be."

The flight attendant nodded slowly. "I'm sorry about the defective table, ma'am. I'll have this mess cleaned up right away."

The redhead nodded. "Fine." She watched as the flight attendant walked swiftly away. Once she was out of earshot, a low growl passed through those same musical vocal chords. "_Definitely_ shoulda been a rabbit…"

* * *

Cologne gasped as the ladle fell from her grasp to sink into the pot of soup she had been stirring so casually just a moment before. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and she struggled to maintain her balance, as the shiver that suddenly rose up her spine finally began to dwindle. She let her head fall a little, staring past the ingredients simmering in the pot as she fought to identify the sensation she'd just felt.

_So evil…_ she thought quietly. It had been a most unpleasant feeling, to be sure. It was almost as if something had crawled inside her heart, had died and then begun to rot, spreading its filth through her blood to slowly destroy her soul. But it was gone almost as quickly as it had come, leaving her extremely shaken and downright worried.

"Something's coming," she breathed, looking around as if she could spot the source of the feeling with a mere glance, and be able to identify it with what had just passed through her not a moment before.

"Great-grandmother?" Shampoo's voice inquired from the doorway to the kitchen. Slowly, Cologne turned to look at her. She was dressed in her usual skin tight attire, not necessarily appropriate for serving tables, but definitely the kind that would seem to silently suggest that the patron return again soon. Of course Shampoo had always been good at turning a man's head, that was, until she'd met Ranma. Now, however, as the purple-haired Amazon slowly cocked her head to the side, she ended up looking much more like her feline half than the beautiful woman warrior she really was. It was a curious gesture, and it wouldn't let Cologne go until it had been fulfilled.

"Something is coming, child," Cologne hissed again. _I know this feeling…_ "I haven't felt this much evil…" _No… It couldn't be!_

"In so long…"

* * *

Happosai stiffened instantly, grounding to a sudden halt in his tracks. His heart began to thump wildly in his chest, and the green bag that swelled with his catch fell from his grasp, completely forgotten for the moment. He collapsed onto one knee, his breathing becoming labored and heavy. He squeezed his eyes shut against the throbbing pain coursing through his blood, fighting off the burning feeling with all of his might as a single strangled cry left him, the barely audible sound falling dead just short of his mouth. Then, as quickly as it had come, the pain was gone. His eyes drifted open as the burning feeling lingered for a moment longer and then left him completely. A dark terror rose to the surface, nestling softly into the lines on his face, as a scowl slowly settled onto his expression. He looked ahead, his eyes unfocused, not really seeing anything that was in front of him.

"So, you've come after all, Purchitti…" he growled. "It's been a long time, my old nemesis."

* * *

Ranma felt the pain hit him with all the ferocity of a freight train. He doubled over on the bench, his arms quickly coming around to clutch at his stomach as he nearly lost his lunch all over the pavement.

"Oh… God…" he whimpered softly. He closed his eyes tightly against the onslaught, gritting his teeth as he turned his head slightly to one side. The pain was so sudden, and so horribly intense that a single tear formed instantly and fell from his left eye, quickly followed by another from his right.

"Ranma!" Akane lurched forward on the bench, one hand swiftly finding the middle of his back, while the other grabbed at his nearest bicep. Worry etched itself over her face, and she quickly surveyed him for any bodily injuries. "Ranma, what is it?"

"So… Dark…" he choked out. He then threw his head back, releasing an inhuman cry of anguish, his whole body shaking with the effort. Slowly his head sank back down again, and he leaned a little further over himself, until it hung between his knees. He continued to clutch at his stomach. Akane gasped as she watched several tear drops hit the pavement between his feet, his normally strong and solid form quivering in her arms.

"Ranma, what's wrong?!" She was well beyond worried now. Not a moment before, they were sitting on the bench enjoying a quiet moment between them. Those moments were so few and far between that Akane had to grumble inwardly at the fact that they had been interrupted from yet another one.

Ranma was, however, in serious agony, and she didn't know why. Her heart swam with concern. "Ranma, please…" she whispered, her voice echoing with fear. "You're really scaring me!" She found herself gripping him tighter, unwilling to let go of him until she knew for sure that he was alright.

"I… I'm sorry… I don't know… Akane," he choked, feeling the pain in his stomach slowly begin to subside before suddenly disappearing altogether. The abrupt absence left him swimming in a bittersweet afterglow, and for a moment, he relished the feeling of his blood pumping hard and fast through his veins. It wasn't long after that the dizziness began to set in. His vision swam even as he tried to open his eyes. He looked carefully up into Akane's troubled face, wanting so much to reassure her, even as he fought hard against the urge to surrender to the sleepiness that had suddenly overcome him. He tried for his usual cocky grin, his eyes growing wider as his pupils began to swell.

"Must've been… something I ate…" he tried to chuckle at his own remark, but quickly found his eyes rolling back in his head. He got the slight impression of his body slipping from the bench as Akane finally lost her hold on him, and the last thing he remembered was her hollering his name before he felt his side connect with the pavement, the world going dark around him.

* * *

_5 hours later_

"I don't think I'm in Hokkaido…" Ryouga whispered to himself. Looking around at the scenery before him, he tried but couldn't recognize a damned thing. There were strange road signs all around him lining what appeared to be a service highway, but he wasn't too sure. The contrast of the deep green grass and the faded look of the decades old concrete under his feet was making his head swim, especially when combined with the bleach-like cloud cover over the sun. Everything appeared to be in English; a language that Ryouga had learned to become intimate with on his travels for more than one reason. After all, being thrown off a bus due to an honest misunderstanding over a quarter, simply because he couldn't understand the driver had been embarrassing enough.

"Umm… let's see…" Ryouga looked around some more. "ESSO… Hmm… no, I don't think that'd be a restaurant. Dammit! Why is it that I can never find food when I'm starving!?"

As if the angels in heaven heard his cry of anguish, some hidden force made him turn his head to the left. His eyes lit up as he read the large green business sign in front of him.

"Hi Valley Motor Inn." He looked a little further down. "Full Breakfast Menu!! ALRIGHT!!"

He scrambled quickly across the road, entering the paved parking lot and crossing it all in the same second. He barreled towards the door, and barely managed to screech to a halt as it swung open before him. He stood rigid, afraid that if he moved a nanometer in any direction, he'd careen off balance and crash into the frail looking elderly couple that were just exiting the restaurant. They muttered their halting thanks to him for managing to stop his approach in time.

"Eh heh… Y-you're welcome…" he managed to stammer out. The second they were out of the doorway, he bolted inside. He threw the inner door open as well and strode into the restaurant with purpose in his step as he came to a table that he liked and sat down. He took in a deep breath, and when he felt none of the familiar stinging sensations usually caused by the other patrons and their second-hand smoke, he decided that this was, indeed, a good place for him to eat. He looked around, his eyes surveying the restaurant as he waited to be served. The bottom half of the walls surrounding him had been painted a deep forest green, while the top half was coated in a softer peach-like color that continued where the green left off. The floor was tiled nicely in marble with green variations running throughout, and the lighting given off by the sparse fixtures was soft, creating a pleasantly soothing atmosphere. He leaned back with a sigh, smiling slightly, as he allowed himself to sink into the beauty of the little corner of heaven he'd just found, even if it was in the middle of nowhere.

"Perfect…" he mused.

"Well, thank you!" said a female voice from beside him. Out of instinct, Ryouga's hands shot up forming some kind of awkward design in front of his face, making peace signs with his fingers as he flinched to the side a bit, eyes suddenly wide.

Beside his table stood a vision of beauty, starting with her black dress shoes, a brand that Ryouga couldn't readily identify, and working up her lithe figure clad in tight black jeans that were only slightly faded. She wore a drop-dead gorgeous navy blue tank-top that covered her nearly perfect-sized breasts. His eyes lingered here for a moment or two before they moved upward to finally settle on her face. His insides melted instantly. High cheekbones played wonderfully with her facial features, giving her barely noticeable dimples when she smiled. Her full lips were covered with lipstick that just barely veered from their natural tinge. Her eyelashes were thick and beautiful, and framed her shimmering hazel eyes which held his gaze transfixed. So lost was he that he only barely acknowledged her long brown hair, noting absently that it was left to hang loose just below her shoulders.

"H-h-hi!" he finally managed to breathe out in return, doing his best to get a hold of himself and settle back into his seat.

"Aw, you're nervous." The girl swooned. "That is just so cute…"

"Uh… thanks…" Ryouga smiled awkwardly. He lifted his head a bit, finally noticing something that should have struck him as odd to begin with, but hadn't for some reason. "Uhh… you're speaking to me in Japanese."

The girl rolled her eyes with a playful smile as she tipped the coffee cup before him right side up, and filled it to the brim with the steaming liquid. "Well, duh!" She retorted. "Isn't that what you were speaking when you called the restaurant 'Perfect'?"

Ryouga blinked twice in silent amazement. "Ye-yes. Yes, I did, didn't I?"

The woman giggled. "Well, anyways, I've got a ton to do this morning, hon, so what can I get for you?"

"Um, I'd like to see a breakfast menu, please and thank you."

She giggled, sending a glorious shiver down Ryouga's spine, and he shot up straight in his seat.

"So polite, to boot!" she mused, beginning to walk away. "Pity I didn't meet you sooner…"

Ryouga swallowed hard at the comment, turning so red he nearly exploded.

* * *

The shogi board loomed before him in all its menacing glory. He knew from years of experience that this was a kill or be killed game. Cheat, or be cheated. Fluke, or be fluked. He spared only second-long glances to the man sitting across the board from him, who was clad in his usual white gi, with the same ridiculous-looking kerchief covering his bald head.

Soun was sweating hard, a mixture of the day's heat and his own nerves finally getting to him. He knew what he had to do now. It was all too obvious to him that he was losing this battle, and he could think of only one way to gain the upper hand. Reaching into his arsenal, he pulled out the only tactic he could think of, as he suddenly pointed off in some random direction.

"Look, Saotome!" He exclaimed. "A thousand Yen bill!!"

"Where?!"

The plan worked to a 'T', as Genma was suitably distracted. While the bald man searched for the non-existent money note, Soun quickly reached out and turned the board around, effectively making his bad fortune Genma's to deal with. When Genma could find no evidence of the aforementioned money, he simply shook his head for a moment in confusion and then turned back to the game.

"I dunno, Tendo. I don't see any-gy-gy-gy-gy-whaaaaattttt?!"

Soun burst into laughter at his reaction to the new state of the game board, the hearty sounds coming from the bottom of his lungs completely lost on the shell-shocked Genma. As the bald man continued to blink with his mouth hung half open, Soun got himself under control and back into his gaming posture.

"Ahem. Your move, Saotome."

"Uh… D'uh… Bwuh… Y-y-yes… of course…"

Suddenly looking not too hindered by the apparent change in the playing field, Genma's face became a mixture of concentration and contemplation, his hand going to his chin and playing with it idly, as if doing so could help in planning his next move. Across the board from him, Soun sighed heavily.

"You know, Saotome," he began. "I'm beginning to feel like I've reached the end of my rope with Akane."

"I know what you mean, Tendo," Genma nodded. "I've pretty much had it with the boy's stubbornness as well."

"It's just that," Soun grunted in frustration, "_Every_ time we try and force them closer together, it only manages to drive them further apart. With what happened in China, at least the story I've been told, you'd think the two of them would have gotten that much closer. After all, from what I hear it was not mere child's play, it got pretty iffy there for awhile."

"Even if that were true, Tendo," Genma coughed, "They'd never admit it to us." He gave a slight grimace. "We also have the problem of getting them married with all the other suitors involved on the sidelines."

Soun nodded sadly in agreement. "I know that all too well, my old friend. Perhaps it would be best if we let them settle their side-affairs first…"

Genma looked up at Soun somewhat awkwardly now. "Tendo, are you suggesting that, after all the effort we've put in, we simply sit back and wait to see if things will happen naturally between our offspring?"

Soun let out a tired sigh. "That's precisely what I'm suggesting, Saotome. Of course, we'll still offer words of encouragement and advice to them, but I think that, given recent events, rubbing in their faces the fact this marriage is their duty will only serve to accomplish the opposite of what we want to happen."

Genma seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before his face began to soften into a small smile. "Maybe you're right, Tendo. Okay, we'll try it your way. Oh, and by the way: Check."

"WHA-" Soun looked back down at the board. He wasn't exactly sure how his friend had managed to accomplish it, but almost all of Genma's pieces were still in play, while most of Soun's were missing. The tides had turned yet again. Oh yes, this was definitely a war, and it was one that Soun Tendo had NO intentions of losing!

* * *

Nerima flew by beneath Jason's feet as he hopped along the rooftops with power and grace. He wasn't too terribly interested in speed, instead taking his time to enjoy the view of a place he hadn't seen in a long time. He was looking around casually, occasionally donning a fond smile when he saw something he recognized. He made one more additional hop, and then came to a sudden stop in mild confusion. Looking down at the current roof he was standing on, he could tell that the shingles were fairly new. Not more than a year and a half old. He frowned a bit, and began to explore it more fully. He spotted something that he could only identify as a grease vent with a fan system mounted in the center of it. This made him frown again. It was the middle of the afternoon on a weekday, and the fan was not operating.

_Shouldn't this place be open?_ He wondered. _Come to think of it, I am a bit hungry…_

After another moment of contemplating the non-operational fan system, he shrugged and began to turn around. He was about to walk away and continue on his trek, when his ears twitched a little, and he caught the soft sound of sobbing, as it drifted up through the fan duct. He stopped instantly in his tracks, cocking his head to the side in an attempt to hear better. Searching all over the Nerima ward for Saotome was likely to take a good amount of time, surely he could allow himself a few moments of distraction.

_"Konatsu… thi… screwed up th… ime…"_ The voice was distinctly female for sure. She was talking to someone named Konatsu. Jason wondered idly what it was she'd screwed up so badly. He took a few steps back towards the fan system until he was standing beside it once again and leaned in a little to listen.

_"What happened, Miss Ukyo?"_ Jason wrinkled his brow in confusion. _Must be Konatsu's voice. Strange… is it a man or a woman?_

"_I went and saw him today… he was really upset with me…"_ another soft sob. _"I thought I did him a favor…"_

_"Ukyo… did he hurt you?"_

_"…No, sugar. He did say some… painful things to me, but… he never laid a hand on me."_ The woman was obviously distressed over an encounter with a man she'd seen earlier. Jason frowned slightly and then had to chuckle inwardly at how protective this Konatsu character sounded.

_"What did you expect would happen, Miss Ukyo?"_

There was a long silence.

_"I don't know, Konatsu. I…"_ She sighed deeply. _"I thought he didn't want the wedding, but… when he talked about Akane… he admitted to me that he thought she was a friend… and more."_

_"Oh!"_

_Hmm…_ Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. Konatsu's exclamation must mean that it was an unexpected behavior for this person. _I wonder who they're talking about? Akane… The name seems… vaguely familiar. Maybe I met her on my last visit?_

_"He also said that 'Uncute' and 'Tomboy' and… and all those other names he calls her… are his names for her."_

He allowed a warm chuckle to pass through his lips as he turned and slowly sat down against the fan system's housing, bringing one knee up to support his right wrist. The nickname game… he knew it all too well. Of course, there were more than a few people who'd been on the receiving end of his all too colorful nicknames. Uncute and Tomboy didn't even scratch the surface. He smiled at the thought as he continued to listen.

_"I wonder"_ Konatsu spoke once again. _"How long has he been…"_

_"Don't even say it."_ Came her reply followed by a hurtful sob. Ukyo obviously loved this man very much. _"I'm still not… used to it yet."_

_"…Do you blame him, Miss Ukyo?"_

There was an extremely long silence.

_"N-no, Konatsu… I don't think I do… It wasn't his fault, after all… it was Genma's."_

Jason's eyes snapped open. He had allowed them to drift shut as he listened to the conversation, trying to envision the faces that went with the voices as they spoke. At the mention of this particular person however, he was suddenly very interested.

_Genma Saotome? Are they talking about Ranma's father? Do they know him??_

He began to listen more intently, focusing all his senses on the conversation. The woman, Ukyo… Her aura gave off a sickly vibe, indicating her state of emotional turmoil. Not too surprising actually, considering she was obviously in love with the unnamed man they were talking about. Konatsu's aura bled out in complete support, understanding… and love? Jason frowned at this in confusion, pushing his senses just a bit further, his eyes widening when he realized the truth behind the feminine voice he was hearing. _He's a guy! Hmm… could have fooled me._

_"That's true enough."_ It was Konatsu's voice. _"Ukyo, would you like me to find Genma?"_

_"Not right now, sugar. I need… some time to sort all this out. I… I know that Ranma didn't mean to hurt me…"_

The rest of the conversation fell upon a vacant spot where Jason used to be. He leapt off the edge of the roof, landing neatly on his feet as he turned to face the door. He couldn't believe his luck. They knew the one person he was looking for in all of Nerima. It was all that mattered to him now. Even though Ukyo seemed to be in a great deal of pain from his rejection, and Jason did feel for her deep down, he knew that he had come here with the express purpose of finding Ranma Saotome, and if this Ukyo could help him do that, then it was vitally important that he talk to her. Before he could think twice, he reached out an arm and knocked on the door, his apprehension mounting, beginning to take a firm hold on him.

What would he say to them? Now that he'd knocked, how would he introduce himself? 'Hi, I was just listening in on your conversation from the roof and hoped you could point me in Ranma Saotome's direction?' Feh… he'd be beaten to a pulp by the both of them for spying. His anxiety peaked as the door suddenly opened before him.

"Can I help you?" It was the voice of the man he'd identified as Konatsu. Jason stared at him for a second or two in silence. The kimono he was wearing wasn't something he'd expected to see on the man, and it was obvious to him that, if he hadn't used his ability to sense out and decipher this one's aura, he would have mistaken Konatsu for a woman on sight.

"Uh…" Jason thought hard, trying to decide how he should approach this. He sighed inwardly, the reality of the matter taking its toll on him. He'd always believed in honesty, and perhaps lying to the first people he came across in Nerima wasn't the best idea. He breathed out hard, looking down at the ground.

"Forgive me," he said quietly. "I was… traveling through the ward looking for someone when I happened to stop on your roof. I… I happened to hear the conversation that you two were having through the fan system."

Konatsu frowned at the admission, his expression darkening. It was obviously that he was annoyed by this fact. "Do you make it a habit to spy on private conversations during your travels?"

Jason quickly shook his head, his eyes still not leaving the ground before him. "No, sir. I … I heard you mention the name Ranma. See, it's him I'm looking for, and that's why I knocked. I… I apologize for my intrusion, but I must find him. It is a matter of some urgency. I'm in need of his help."

Konatsu's face softened. "Miss Ukyo and Ranma have recently had a bit of a falling out. I can show you where to find him, but I'm not sure that she would enjoy coming along." He turned his head to give a quick glance back into the restaurant before once again tossing his gaze back in Jason's direction. "I'm also not too sure that I'm prepared to leave her in the state she's in right now."

Jason nodded in understanding, finally bringing his gaze up to meet Konatsu's.

"I understand. Please, accept my sincerest apologies for my unethical behavior. Umm… maybe apologize to her for me as well."

Konatsu stood silently in the doorway for a moment, he seemed to be pondering something. After another instant, he reached over for the closed sign and turned it around, swiftly displaying the word 'Open' to any potential patrons on the street.

"I do believe that I should be getting to work," he admitted, "Even if Miss Ukyo herself isn't up to doing so today. It wouldn't do to be closed randomly like this. We may lose business. I'm sorry, what is your name?"

"Jason Kavner."

"American," Konatsu mused. "You certainly speak Japanese well enough."

Jason nodded. "I had extraordinary teachers."

Konatsu smiled softly at this. "Are you hungry? I can relate what you've told me to Miss Ukyo while you eat. It'll only take a moment to fire up the grill."

Jason, while a little taken back by the invitation, accepted it whole-heartedly and followed Konatsu into the restaurant. He had expected them to be angry, to try and turn him away, leaving him floundering in his quest to find Ranma once more. Then again, it was entirely possible that this Ukyo person wouldn't take too kindly to what Konatsu would relay to her, especially in light of her current state of mind. He had the sudden image of being hurdled from the restaurant by some spatula on steroids for his little act of espionage. He chuckled inwardly at the thought, pondering where that idea had come from, as he took a seat in front of the grill and waited.

* * *

**Next up, Jason gets to see first hand just how bad of a mood Ukyo's really in, while Ranma is exposed to one of the most confusing blackouts one could ever have.**

**Review away, folks! It's all motivational material for me! You know you wanna...**

**MattSaotome**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Darkness.

Nothing but emptiness existed in the void around him. He couldn't feel his body, nor could he distinguish any particular scent. Yet he could still hear. Yes, the sounds were becoming more and more distinct, horrifying as they came whispering to his ears. They were things that no one would want to hear, yet he had no choice but to listen. If this was a dream, it wouldn't release him.

Screams of agony now echoed around him. Terrible cries for mercy. Sounds of battle mixed with explosions and a haunting evil laughter. These were followed by questions. Hundreds of them, all echoing with fear as they bounced of the darkness around him; 'Where is my baby?' 'Mommy? Where are you?' 'Who is responsible for all of this?' 'How could so much evil exist?' 'Has anyone seen the king?!'

'Why?'

'Why?!', 'WHY??'

Ranma tried desperately to block out the sound when it suddenly came to a screeching halt. The battle noises, the cries of agony, the questions full of fear… all gone. Silence enveloped him for a few seconds longer before a single, strong voice boomed out of the darkness.

**It's coming, you know.**

"Who's there?" Ranma wasn't sure since he still couldn't feel his body, but he was pretty certain that, had he been awake, the hairs on his arms would now be standing straight up.

**It's coming, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.**

"Show yourself!" Ranma insisted. "Let me see who I'm talkin' to!"

**What will you do then, Ranma Saotome?**

"Do about what?"Ranma growled in response. "How the hell am I supposed ta know what yer talkin' about?!"

**You shall know. It will all be made clear to you in the coming days. You hold the power, Ranma Saotome.**

"WHAT DAMNED POWER?!" Frustration was beginning to gnaw heavily at Ranma. Just a few short moments ago he had been sitting peacefully on a park bench enjoying the most beautiful scenery in all of Nerima. His wonderful tomboy had been by his side as they sat in undisturbed silence; the perfect picture of one of their extremely rare, romantic moments. What the hell had happened?!

**You felt the pull of the evil one. You know that something approaches.**

"Would ya quit with the fancy talk, already?! Gods, I might start ta think you're related to the Kuno's…"Ranma's handsome features twisted a bit as a possible scenario suddenly came to mind.

"Kodatchi…" he growled low. "Damned bitch was probably somewhere close by and managed ta slip me somethin' when I wasn't looking."

**I fear you may yet be too simple minded to truly comprehend what I have to say, Ranma Saotome. Perhaps I shall leave you in peace.**

Leave him in peace? Ranma suddenly felt torn at the prospect. On one hand it sounded wonderful. Of course at the same time this thing, whatever it was, had not only disrupted his quiet moment with Akane, it had also insulted him, and he wasn't about to let it get away with that. Beside, he had to admit, the thing had him slightly intrigued.

"Oy!" Ranma spat back. "Who're you callin' simple minded?! Look, pal, _you_ invaded _my_ dream! Tell me what the hell you're yippin' about, and _maybe_ I'll feel a little more like listenin'!!"

As soon as the words were out however, Ranma immediately set to cursing himself. Something deep inside told him that the entity was going to give him exactly what he'd asked for, and then he'd be knee-deep in it. Whatever this new challenge was, it would only add to the insanity that already overwhelmed his life. Guilt quickly flooded through him at the thought, for he knew that Akane would probably end up being dragged right along with him, as another one of his life's twisted adventures played itself out.

The guilt at this quickly gave way to anger; Anger at himself for being so stupid. He should have just told the thing to leave him alone instead of inviting it to elaborate like some sucker for punishment. He was also angry at the entity for seeming to know _exactly _which buttons to press to pique his interest—not to mention angry at whatever the hell it was that caused him to black out in the first place. In that exact moment, there was only one place that he really wanted to be, and that was back on the park bench… looking out over the beautiful lake… his wonderful tomboy beside him … and not another care in the world.

_Yeah, right…_he thought, with some bitterness_. Not in _my_ lifetime!!_

**Are you ready then, Ranma Saotome?**

_Ready?_ Something in the entity's tone held him. It was mocking, almost as if in challenge. Put like that, he felt his own determination rise. Hell yes, he was ready! Ranma Saotome backed down from _no-one_! He felt his brow furrow as his scowl deepened, his lower lip now curling upward in an almost feral manner as a tiger-like growl suddenly filled the void surrounding them. Oddly enough, it went completely un-noticed by Ranma that the low, reverberating vocalization had actually been caused by his own emission. Instead, he merely responded with a single curt nod.

"Come on, then…" he spat. "Show me whatcha got!"

* * *

The hustle and bustle of the restaurant provided a small amount of distraction for his thoughts; its warm, yet simple, appearance giving him a comfortable feeling as he waited. Behind the grill, Konatsu was speaking quietly with Ukyo, their voices low enough for Jason to recognize and respect the fact that they didn't want to be heard. No, he had done enough spying and prying for one day. It was time to start respecting other people's space again and to just accept what help was willingly given to him. He wasn't in the habit of forcing people to do things that they didn't want to do. Well, unless he considered them to be one of the 'bad guys', of course. He had to admit, it was a very pleasing scenario, because he got to be the bad-ass in it, and so help the bastard that crossed him! What could he say; he honestly enjoyed being the one to take charge whenever the situation warranted it.

A sudden growl passed from Ukyo's throat, and Jason quickly moved his attention over towards her. While Konatsu was still speaking, and only occasionally shooting a glance in Jason's direction, Ukyo was now staring directly at him, a deep scowl set into her otherwise beautiful features.

Ukyo's mind was bent in only one direction at that moment. It was bad enough that Ranma had almost completely rejected her earlier. Now, here she had to deal with this other man, introduced into her life because he had eavesdropped on a private conversation she had been having with an employee, only to find out he now wanted to know how to locate the very same person that had nearly broken her heart earlier that day? Her expression grew darker at the thought, causing Jason to swallow hard; the only outward sign at all that he felt somewhat intimidated by Ukyo. The reason for the feeling was not something he could really explain offhand, but one could say that he felt a certain amount of shock at his own abilities of foresight when she lifted her hand behind her back and Jason noticed for the first time the jumbo-sized combat spatula she was wearing.

_Shit!_ He cursed mentally. _She really DOES have one!? This'll teach me for doubting my visions, even if they do include a chef wielding a massive life threatening spatula! I guess it's time ta get the hell outta dodge!_

The second Jason was on his feet, Ukyo saw red; all of the hurt and anger she'd been experiencing all day coming to a sudden head. Her peripheral view faded into a single line of vision, until all she saw was the man who was about to bolt out of her restaurant. The same man who wanted to remind her of someone she was trying so hard not to think about. The same man who was clearly insensitive enough to continue eavesdropping on an obviously private conversation. Like a typical male, he evidently had no respect or common sense about him. In a flash, her combat spatula was off her back and in hand.

"You JACKASS!!" She hollered at the top of her lungs, the red color that shone on her face flushing to an even deeper crimson as her anger took over completely.

"Miss Ukyo, please. Listen to me!" Konatsu was calling to her worriedly. Jason, however, wasn't about to wait around and see whether or not the ninja's powers of negotiation were well practiced. His survival instincts, well refined over several years, were telling him to do only one thing right now, and he'd long since learned NOT to ignore them!

"See ya!!" Jason quipped as he shot towards the door.

"Get Back Here!!" Ukyo screamed, taking off in hot pursuit.

"No Thanks!" Jason yelled back to her over his shoulder. There was absolutely NO WAY he was gonna stop until he had outrun her. She was, after all, grief stricken, and obviously in no condition to maintain pursuit for long. He had only to outlast her sudden burst of energy, and he had a gut feeling that she'd feel much more negotiable once she had exhausted herself enough to get the worst of it out of her system.

He shot through the door of the restaurant, skidding on his heels as he suddenly darted to the right, thinking this was as good a direction to run as any. Leaning his body slightly to keep from sliding straight across the street and into the concrete wall on the other side, he placed a single gloved palm onto the pavement to steady himself before kicking his right leg out behind his body, effectively shooting himself down the street with the first of many great leaps he would need to make in order to perform his great escape.

Ukyo continued to follow in short order, leaping in much the same fashion after him, and with equal determination. With a mumbled expletive, she shot forward, stepping up the pace of her pursuit with a snarl of rage. There would be no mistakes this time; no screw ups or fumbles. Stranger or not, this particular male was now the center of her world; a world that for the time being only held room for her rage. He was going to fall—she was going to catch him— the end result being twofold; a hospital bed for him, and an enormous amount of stress relief for her!

_This is just fuckin' terrific_, Jason thought sarcastically, even as he admired her tenacity. _Here I thought I was gonna get to meet Ranma today, but instead there's a good chance that I'm gonna DIE! At the hands of a giant pizza flipper, to boot!!_

"Wait, Miss Ukyo!" Konatsu hollered after her from the door, hoping that his insistence would get her to stop and listen. With a sigh, he realized the futility of it all. Shaking his head and hoping that the stranger was as adept at martial arts as he knew Ukyo to be, the kunoichi gave up and stepped back inside the restaurant.

"I hope they don't kill each other," he whispered under his breath, his tone laced with obvious worry.

* * *

"Enough is enough," Cologne stressed. She had spent the last few hours watching Shampoo, who had been doing some menial task that would normally have been assigned to Mousse. The elder had needed some time to think, and she had most certainly been given a lot to think about. For the time being, she had no choice but to dismiss the sudden presence of evil that she had felt before, as the unsettling experience had not repeated itself, and she could sense nothing of it now. It had become of little consequence to her either way upon reaching her decision.

Ranma had ventured to Mount Phoenix to launch a rescue, and perhaps even find a cure for his curse, but had wound up discovering so much more than that. Shampoo had told her how he had defeated Saffron; a man who, for all intents and purposes, was immortal. She knew what Saffron was like. She had dueled his kind before… and lost by a large margin. For Ranma to defeat him took amazing skill and one hell of a motivational backing. Of course she knew he never liked to lose. Hell, for all she knew Ranma may have just as easily wiped her off the face of the earth had he been provided with the appropriate provocation. No, if Ranma had beaten Saffron, then there was only one explanation for it: an explanation that needed to be faced and dealt with, for all their sakes.

Obviously, Ranma's strength and speed had surpassed her own, his skill level only rising as he faced and defeated each foe that came his way. For him, her teachings had simply become about learning the latest technique, even though she knew his love of his art ran as deep as his soul. He learned extremely fast, picking up techniques after seeing them done only once, as she'd discovered when she'd taught him the Hiryu Shoten Ha. He was also quick to adapt to the situations he found himself in, a skill even the powerful Ryouga couldn't really master. She had sparred with Ranma on occasion, yielding only once when she found him using the dreaded 'Cat Fist' technique; a style that should have been lost to the sands of time, but was obviously not beyond Ranma's grasp. As she continued her recall, she bitterly noted that, whenever Ranma fought with her, it was always immediately on her own terms, with never more than a few words of complaint from the pig-tailed boy. She knew he didn't like to fight girls. That he held back, his arrogance figuring that they couldn't take what he could dish out; a trait she knew only garnered him more trouble. Of course, he probably held to this standard even with her. After all, he could very well have had a set of terms that were all his own when it came to a decent fight, and she might never have experienced any of them. Had she become that poor a judge of skill and ability? She had thought not, but now she was not so sure.

Realizing that Ranma, in his arrogance, instantly accepted and fought his opponents on their own terms forced her to conclude that Saffron had done something to make Ranma switch the playing field around; had done something that had so enraged him to the point where he had finally opened the doors to his full potential and unleashed a wrath that had left the immortal Phoenix dead. According to Shampoo's somewhat limited report (her thanks to Mousse for later filling in the blanks Shampoo had left out), Akane, in an effort to save Ranma from Saffron's egg threads, had managed to grab hold of the ancient Kinjikan and drain all the water from her body. That meant that Akane's life had been in immediate danger. And while Ranma had had to waste time fighting the Phoenix, the threat had only escalated. In all the times the youngest Tendo daughter had been kidnapped or captured, never had her LIFE been in such immediate and certain jeopardy. Cologne wasn't oblivious. She knew what Ranma felt for Akane. The fact that Mousse had managed to overhear and relay back to her the words that Ranma had spoken to Akane's lifeless body had left her unscathed. It was nothing she hadn't already suspected for quite some time.

Putting the facts together, Cologne had deduced long ago that the only possible way to get Ranma to finally come away with them might have been to remove the Tendo family from the picture completely, or more to the point, one Tendo in particular. Doing so, of course, would mean Akane's death.

But with this latest news, Cologne now knew that killing Akane meant inviting the ultimate wrath of someone with a power and will even stronger than an immortal Phoenix. She knew that there would be no hope. Ranma's strings to reality would be all but severed, and he would stop caring about his life. He would open all the floodgates, and his pain and rage would destroy anyone who attempted to go up against him, before he ultimately shut down himself and became one of the living dead.

All these things put together warranted only one course of action… and she knew her great grand-daughter would NOT like it.

"Shampoo, go find Mousse and tell him we're leaving. I want you both to be packed up and ready to go by tomorrow."

Shampoo stopped what she was doing instantly, regarding Cologne as if the elder had suddenly gone crazy. "What wrong, Great Grandmother?"

"You have failed, child. I will no longer aid you in your pursuit to make Ranma your husband. It is obvious after your trip to Jusendo that he is lost to us… and I am long tired of trying. We will return to China, and you will face the council for both of your failures… I am sorry, Shampoo."

The cleanser Shampoo had been using to clean the stockroom shelves with suddenly clattered to the floor as she stood frozen, staring in utter shock at Cologne, who simply turned on her heel and left the room. Shampoo felt all the strength begin to leave her legs and she fell to her knees, a moan of despair being forced out of her lungs.

"No…"

* * *

The darkness began to take shape. Swirls of light leading to subtle increases in the disparities of the shades around him, until he could make out differing levels of grey, which lent a smoky hue to what he was sure was an illusion his mind had created.

Ranma kept his focus forward, his attention to the increasing detail surrounding him never faltering for a second. One slip; one misstep of something crucial, and it could cost him whatever game his subconscious was trying to play.

"Smoke tricks?" Ranma huffed with a single chuckle. "What's next? You gonna throw up a mirror maze?"

The entity responded in kind, its own attitude changing slightly from what it had been exhibiting before. Ranma couldn't help but silently mark the shift in its behavior, smiling inwardly at that thought that he was finally gaining the upper hand.

_**Do you seek to mock me at every opportunity?**_

Ranma shook his head only once.

"I don't 'seek to mock you'."

_**Just to test me in return?**_

The entity's reply cut right through any illusions Ranma had that he was gaining any kind of control. His expression quickly shifted back into a growl as this newfound realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"a test?!" He snarled now. "All your damn riddles; all the fancy talk; the little pushes and shoves and lectures about power and doom?! All of it was a TEST?!"

_**Sadly, no, Ranma Saotome.**_

"What, then?" he spat, his frustration evident. "Is this your idea of a sick joke?" He brought his fist up to his side, his rage mounting as he continued with his tirade uninhibited. "You realize that, up until I felt your stupid 'pull of evil', I was sittin' in peace on a park bench? Enjoyin' a quiet moment with my beautiful A – Urk!"

Ranma's outburst came to a sudden and grinding halt as he instantly shot a hand out over his mouth. It was getting harder and harder to control his feelings for Akane as of late, and he found himself admitting things he never would have before. To his chagrin, the entity picked up on this immediately, deciding in a second to dig a little deeper into the reasons why as it continued its test.

_**Is it really so difficult for you to say?**_

Ranma's hand instantly fell back into a fist at his side as his scowl deepened.

"I dunno what you're talkin' about," he responded flatly.

_**Then complete your sentence.**_

"Go ta hell." Ranma's voice was becoming dangerously low. He didn't like anyone prying into what he felt for Akane. Especially not some evil entity from Kami knew what hell. He wasn't exactly sure what he could do to something that he couldn't touch or see, to say nothing of whether any of his martial arts techniques would work in this sleep realm, but he was certain of one thing, he wanted, very badly, to find a way to deal some serious hurt to this… 'thing' that kept blabbing away around him.

_**Are your true feelings so hard for you to admit to yourself? Do you deny them so strongly for fear that, once you acknowledge their existence, you will become, in some way, weak?**_

Ranma snapped.

"I AM NOT WEAK!!"

The indistinct reality around Ranma shook at his outburst, simmering with his rage and frustration. The voice did not wait, however, for it to dissipate before it continued.

_**Then, by your own admission, I am correct. These feelings do exist.**_

Ranma stopped short as he realized that he had just given the entity the perfect reason to believe so. He had assumed that the voice had implied something it had not, and now here he had passed the admission through his own lips just because he couldn't keep his temper down. He hoped that it wouldn't come back to haunt him, or more importantly Akane.

_Damn…_

_**Will you say nothing for yourself? Why do you believe these feelings make you weak?**_

Ranma snarled low. He resented everything about what was happening to him. He would not give the voice the satisfaction of answering such a question. If it insisted on continuing to test him, as he was more than certain by now that it would, the entity would have to find another alley to go down. It was, after all, very simple in Ranma's mind. His relationship with Akane was nobody's business but his own and hers of course. His father had put him in a position that he hadn't wanted at first, the fact that it was starting to change didn't alter anything. It still didn't give anyone the right to invade his privacy, or make him question his own strength. He wasn't about to let his stupid Oyaji pry into the matter, and he _certainly _wasn't about to let this entity either, no matter how much it wanted him to. After all, he didn't have to justify himself to anyone. Now that would _definitely_ be a sign of weakness, and he was _not_ weak!

"Sorry pal," Ranma spat, doing his best to regain control of his runaway temper. "That's private."

Once again, the environment around him began to shift. The swirling shades of grey began to deepen, becoming intricate threads with little wisps of dense saturation. The greys gradually gave way to baby blues, lending the whole atmosphere a rather giddy kind of feeling. It took Ranma only a second of study to find a certain pattern in the changes. Ranma found himself starting to grin cockily again as the sound of the entity's soft laughter confirmed his suspicions that the patterns around him reflected its mood; the vibrant colors reflecting its now rather frivolous state. Ranma was so wound up in his discovery, however, that he failed to realize that the reason the 'thing' was laughing was because it had been listening in on his mind's silent tirade.

_**I'm afraid your thoughts have betrayed you, Ranma Saotome.**_

His cocky grin and realization were both all too quickly forgotten.

* * *

Kasumi gave a small sigh, pausing for a moment in her chore of cutting vegetables on the board before her. She placed the knife down gently on the wooden surface, as she looked straight out the window into the bright sky. It had been a few days since she had taken the time to really allow her thoughts to fly freely. She found it liberating most times, but not as of late.

Every time her mind began to wander, and she fully tuned out everything but her own internal thoughts, they always pointed towards only one face in particular. That smile he always wore; the way his glasses would fog over and his behavior would become erratic every time she was around him; the gentle attitude and warm heart he always displayed; he held them all within his hands. He put everything that he was into his work, always going the extra mile to help anyone and everyone in need.

At least, that was how he had acted while he'd lived in Nerima. He had left some weeks beforehand, giving not a clue as to where he was going or what he would be doing. No one had thought to find out how Kasumi had been doing since he'd left. While it was true that she wasn't the kind of person to let negative feelings keep her down, that didn't mean that she never experienced them, as everyone seemed to assume.

She sighed again deeply, the rich yet hurtful feelings flowing through her stinging slightly now that she considered them. She had always enjoyed the doctor's company, even if he did behave strangely around her. His antics had always been just too… cute. She remembered giggling at his actions several times, always enjoying the randomness with which things happened whenever she entered the same room as he. Like for example the time that Ranma had been in the good doctor's office when she had stopped by to drop off some of her cooking. At first, he had taken the handkerchief she had covered the plate with and tried to wear it, all the while proclaiming it to be such a lovely mask. Even when she'd explained the purpose of the handkerchief and tried to offer him the cooking again, he had simply gone on about the difficulty of eating anything while he was still wearing the mask. She giggled softly as she recalled the incident.

In all the time that she had known him she'd been waiting—waiting for him to become comfortable enough around her—waiting for him to see. She'd hoped that by being patient, he would finally calm himself long enough to ask her out. After all, it simply wouldn't do to have her break feminine protocol and ask _him_ out.

So she had hoped and waited and just look where it had gotten her. No, waiting for the proper moment had done nothing for Kasumi as far as Dr. Tofu was concerned. She sniffed involuntarily as a single tear streamed its way down her cheek to land softly on the cutting board. Realizing what was happening, Kasumi shook her head in an attempt to clear it. She grabbed the hem of the apron she was wearing and pulled it up to dab gently at her eyes in an attempt to dry them. Then she picked up the knife again and resumed cutting the vegetables, all the while telling herself to just work through it. One day, it wouldn't hurt so much.

One day.

* * *

Jason was breathing heavily as he landed on yet another random rooftop. Turning his gaze swiftly back in the direction of the Okonomiyaki chef's restaurant, he stopped and gave a little scowl. Some fifteen feet or so from where he was standing, a hand slammed onto the ledge of the rooftop, and a massive grunt sounded.

Ukyo then heaved herself up and leaned forward, pulling herself over the ledge of the roof. With another heavy grumble, he watched as she threw a leg over the top and rolled sideways to finally fall onto the concrete and tile.

"Get… over… here…" she breathed. "Take your… punishment… like a… man…"

Jason wiped away some of the sweat from his brow, bringing his sleeve down to soak up what had managed to escape and find its way to his cheeks.

"Can't… Make me…" he replied: also gasping for much needed air. While Ukyo may not have been as physically strong as him, he had greatly underestimated just how far her raging emotions could push her to run. He was swallowing large amounts of air now, shaking his head slowly from side to side as he worked at getting his breath back.

"Damn, woman… When do you… stop ticking?"

With a groan of exertion, she hefted her battle spatula in front of her, using every ounce of will she possessed to set herself into an attack stance. The fire in her eyes was beginning to dissipate now, given the fact that she was simply too exhausted to remain upset.

"That… depends." Unlike Jason, who had finally managed to regain a somewhat normal breathing pattern, hers was becoming more erratic and unmanaged. The sweat was pouring from her in great abundance, her hair now coated with it and sticking heavily to her brow. Despite her best efforts to the contrary, she slowly lost the grip on her battle spatula as it clattered noisily to the ground. Soon after, her legs began to give way in succession, gradually sinking her to one knee.

"Ukyo…" Jason uttered her name, finally bringing his breathing back under control. He took a concerned step forward, unsure whether or not to go to the girl's aid, wondering if she would appreciate the gesture or if she would still try to kill him the second he got too near.

"I think I… might'a… overdone it… sug..a…r…" with a soft moan, Ukyo's eyes rolled into the back of her head. The spinning of the world around her gave way to darkness, as she fell victim to the exhaustion of her overworked body. She slumped forward, her face now heading toward the pavement unheeded.

"Ukyo!!" Jason hollered, shooting forward with a heavy kick. He scooped her into his arms with little effort, now almost completely recovered from their miles-long trek, saving her from a nasty fall. Without breaking stride, he leapt for the previous rooftop again, making full speed back to the restaurant. He knew she wasn't in need of a hospital; just a good rest. He also knew that Konatsu would look after her once he got her back there. Unfortunately, he was now also committed. She was after all his only link to Ranma. He guessed the martial artist wasn't the only person he would be getting to know while he was in Nerima. Good thing he never held a grudge against simple misunderstandings.

_Some things never change,_ he chuckled mentally. _After all this time_ _Nerima is still the hub of all weirdness…_

With a determined grunt, he picked up the pace, set on getting to the restaurant as fast as he could. In his arms, Ukyo gave a little unintelligible whisper. He took a second to look down at her, and then turned his attention forward once more.

"Hang on, 'sugar'," he coined. "We'll get you home in no time."

* * *

**Next up, Ukyo takes Jason to see Ranma, who has woken up in one :odd:state:! Akane's confused as hell, and Ryouga finally makes the scene! What will happen when all of these people get together under one roof?? Find out next chapter!**

**Review away, folks! It's all motivational material for me! You know you wanna...**

**MattSaotome**


	4. Chapter 3

**And the latest installment...**

* * *

Chapter 3

The pavement before Ryouga seemed to slither and wave with the heat radiating from it. He wasn't too sure exactly where in the middle of nowhere he had ended up, but he was certain that, if he just stayed on the road, he'd finally end up somewhere. He could get his bearings then.

The meal that he'd eaten at that wonderful restaurant had been excellent enough to sustain him up until now, but he was fast becoming hungry again. It had, after all, been a few hours. He remembered how enjoyable the waitress was the entire time he was there, and found himself going red as he recalled some of her more… prominent features.

Some small part of his conscience slapped him at this, reminding him that he already held a love interest. Actually, he held two, but he was fairly certain that, by now, one of them was damned near spoken for. Mind you, that didn't stop him from trying. Yet, he wasn't sure any more exactly why he made that effort with someone like Akari on his horizon. She accepted so much about him, and yet he couldn't seem to bring himself to let Akane go. Maybe some small part of it was due to that arrogant scum who dared to call himself her fiancé. That no good cad, Ranma, was only ever going to cause Akane pain and heartache. Ryouga didn't want that for her. Someday, he'd go to his Akane, and tell her everything. He was more than certain that, once he had established how everything was Ranma's fault, she'd see him for the honorable, noble man he was deep inside, and accept his offerings of love.

…But where would that leave Akari? She already knew more about him than Akane herself, not to mention that she had already accepted it all, too. There was nothing really to explain to Akari. Not like there was to Akane, at least. Akari was willing to be there for him through it all, and he had to admit, he had fallen for her quite heavily himself. The idea of spending every day with her warmed his heart of glass, and the appreciation that she could shower upon him… he never recalled ever feeling so happy and content… But where did that leave Akane?

He wasn't too sure exactly how long he had been walking in his own thoughts, but he finally decided that he should probably take a moment to survey his surroundings. Bringing his eyes back into the painful focus of reality, Ryouga found himself standing, not in a desert at all, but in the brush surrounding the outskirts of Nerima itself. Of course, his brain couldn't quite make that connection.

"Where the hell am I now?" he grunted. Yet again, he had looked down, not bothering to consciously acknowledge which direction his feet were taking him in. Growling to himself about the indignity of suffering under such a horrible curse as his bad sense of direction, Ryouga finally accepted the inevitable and began to make his way into the ward. Besides, his stomach had led him to believe that, despite his bad fortune when it came to direction, the area he'd just found himself in probably had a restaurant nearby. He couldn't very well allow himself to go hungry.

Almost as if it were waiting for him to think about food, his stomach seemed to twist inside his chest. He grunted for a short instant as a small surge of pain sparked from his insides, and decided that he'd better pick up the pace now that he'd entered the ward. He was obviously much hungrier than he'd anticipated, though he couldn't recall his stomach ever protesting so painfully before…

Not too far away from him, but enough to be out of his sight, Akane was throwing the arm of an unconscious Ranma over her shoulder and making full speed for her house.

* * *

Konatsu wrung out the cloth a second time before moving forwards and placing the cool compress on Ukyo's forehead. For the third time that day, he was seriously worried. To start with, Ranma had told Ukyo, in no uncertain terms, that they had been friends and nothing more. He had also told her that it would be difficult to forgive her for what she'd done, and wasn't sure if their friendship could ever be restored. Obviously, all this had greatly troubled Ukyo. When he spoke with her about it earlier that day, she had been quite depressed.

Then, Jason reveals himself as someone who had been on the roof and overheard their discussion as it drifted through the fan housing. He had asked, after said deed, if they could help him to locate Ranma. The afore mentioned Ukyo had fallen over the proverbial precipice at that, and had focused all of her anger and hurt onto the American visitor, immediately chasing him from the building and continuing her pursuit over the rooftops of Nerima. The second they had slipped out of eyesight, Konatsu had begun to worry again.

Not long afterwards, Jason had returned to the restaurant in a hurry, carrying an unconscious Ukyo in his arms. He had barely begun to explain what happened before Konatsu all but ripped Ukyo from his grasp, rushing her upstairs to her room. Jason had followed, looking somewhat worried, and more than a little curious. Konatsu hadn't objected to the man's presence, for the simple fact that he wanted to know what had taken place between the new arrival and Ukyo during their absence. Once Ukyo was made as comfortable as Konatsu could manage, his worry went through the roof. Finally, after much silence, he turned calculating eyes on Jason.

"What happened?" the kunoichi asked.

"She collapsed from exhaustion," Jason explained, turning his gaze back to the unconscious woman on the bed before them. "She was too stubborn to give up the chase. When I finally stopped running, she lost the surge of adrenaline that had been powering her. I think it overloaded her system."

Konatsu nodded slowly, considering Jason's words carefully. He shifted his eyes to Ukyo's unconscious form once more, quickly checking her over for any injuries, but finding none. With a deep sigh, he decided to take Jason at his word, and believe that the newcomer had done nothing to harm Ukyo. The chase had obviously continued at a pace that Ukyo could only hold in her angered state. The sudden stop was apparently too much for her to handle, and as Jason said; she collapsed from exhaustion.

"I see," he replied. Silence greeted them for a few more seconds before Konatsu began reviewing things in his mind. Jason seemed to be a man of honor; choosing to reveal his wrong to them instead of hiding it. Since he'd heard what transpired between Ukyo and Ranma, he had done nothing to aggravate her; choosing to run until she was spent rather than lift a finger to attack her. When Ukyo finally collapsed, he could have run off and never have had to worry about her again. Instead, he chose to bring her back to the restaurant, and was now waiting patiently for the woman that tried to put him in the hospital to wake up.

Letting a brief chuckle pass through his lips, Konatsu finally voiced his next question.

"If I may be so bold, Kavner," he began. "Why are you still here? If you're gone when she wakes up, you'll have nothing more to fear from her. You could save yourself a great deal of trouble by leaving. Why haven't you?"

Jason's eyes drifted shut, and a smirk formed on his face. "Now what kind of man would I be if I fled from confrontation when it's my fault?"

_And I still have to ask her about Ranma…_

Konatsu turned his head to face Jason now. He stared at the American for a moment before looking away once again.

"That says a lot about you, Kavner." He stated. "Accepting responsibility for your actions goes a long way towards gaining my respect."

"Really?" Jason chuckled. "And what makes you think that matters?"

Konatsu grunted at that, no longer sure what to make of the man beside him. He displayed restraint, respect, and honor through his actions, yet what he had just said portrayed him more as a man alone. Someone who looked only to the road he was travelling, and not bothering to remember anyone he encountered along the way.

"Are you saying that it doesn't?" Konatsu inquired.

Jason turned his head to face the Kunoichi's, waiting until Konatsu returned his gaze. When the ninja finally did look at him, Jason scowled a little.

"Listen to me very carefully," he began. "I don't have the luxury of choosing what my priorities are, because I have only one right now, and that's to stay alive."

Konatsu's eyes widened a little as Jason continued to speak.

"I spend the better part of my days fighting for my life; being challenged at every turn. I can't afford to know people, because that would place them in harm's way. Whether or not I gain your respect isn't simply a matter of insignificance. In my line of work, it's damned irresponsible of me to allow."

He turned his eyes away from Konatsu, regarding the far wall as he finished speaking.

"Don't respect me, Konatsu," he said evenly. "In fact, for your own safety, don't even try to know me."

Konatsu had been silent all through Jason's speech, digesting every bit of the information he could. Jason had, in a few short seconds, gone from man to enigma. Before he had a chance to respond, however, he was pulled from his thoughts by Ukyo moving on the bed in front of him.

"Miss Ukyo!" Konatsu exclaimed, relieved that she was finally coming around.

"Jason," she croaked, coughing immediately afterwards from the pain that shot through her lungs from her efforts to speak. She sat up with great exertion, leaning against the headboard for support as the burning sensation finally began to dwindle.

"Careful," Konatsu put a hand on her shoulder for support. "Don't push yourself, Miss Ukyo. You've done that too much for one day."

Ukyo's eyes flitted around the room for a second before settling on the newcomer. His gaze, in return, was empty but purposeful.

"That's the third mistake you've made today, Jason," Ukyo spoke softly, trying her best not to aggravate her body any further than she apparently already had. She had been awake for Jason's revelations, but had chosen to listen without interrupting while she digested the information he was giving. She had been mad at him when she was chasing him across the rooftops, but now she couldn't seem to remember exactly why. Sure, he had spied on her conversation, but he'd been honest about it and apologized for it. He'd asked for help finding Ranma, but that had been his purpose long before he'd listened in. Getting mad at him for that would be somewhat redundant. She concluded that there was no point in trying to kill the man, since he hadn't really done her very much wrong; he'd simply been a victim of a lot of bad timing. With that in mind, she continued to speak.

"I decide who I want to risk knowing," she continued carefully. "If I decide to include you in that list, then just how do you intend to stop me?"

"What?" Jason's eyes grew darker. "Are you insane? Do you _want_ to be in danger? You have absolutely no idea what kinds of horrible things try to kill me day by day. If I'm even _here_ much longer, I'll run the risk of jeopardizing both of your safety. My enemies are dangerous… and great in number. It can't be your decision!"

Ukyo glared at him, her own face becoming laced with frustration.

"You want my help to find Ranma?" she answered, planting her trap and hoping that Jason would bite, if only for the sake of her curiosity. "Then you'd better spill the beans, mister! Right now!"

Jason looked distraught suddenly. "I can't do that! Gods, do you even know what you're asking?! No. Of course you don't! There's just no way!"

Ukyo crossed her arms, looking away in mock resentment. "Then good luck in your search for Ranma. I'm afraid I'm a little too out of it to go gallivanting around the ward with you. Which, might I remind you, is your fault."

Jason blinked a couple of times, dumbfounded that Ukyo would actually set a trap for him like that. She clearly had no idea about the danger he was capable of placing them in, and was pressing forward in ignorance rather than education. It was at this point that Konatsu cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the two others around him.

"Would it really be so bad to inform us of the dangers we may already be exposed to? Will you deny us the right to know who or what our potential opponents may be? You have already, as you put it, exposed us to yourself, Kavner. Can you really afford to remain indifferent towards us when you may have already put us in jeopardy?"

Jason turned to look away from Konatsu once more. His gaze fell to the floor as he considered the ninja's words. It was true, to be sure. He had already lingered at Ukyo's restaurant longer than expected, and he really had no idea whether or not his location had already been discovered. If such was the case, then Konatsu was quite right. Could he really go so far as to not inform them, and run the risk of them dying as a result? For that matter, would they actually die? Or was Ukyo's persistence earlier a sign of just how determined and driven some of the people in Nerima really were? Perhaps they would be able to handle themselves. Still, could he really take that chance? With a deep sigh, he resigned himself to what he needed to do, and prepared for a long explanation.

"Very well then," he answered quietly. "I'm not certain that you'll believe me entirely, but you're right. You deserve to know. I fight for my life on a near daily basis against evil spirits and demons, who continue to pursue me relentlessly for something that my ancestors from long ago did to their master."

"What did you say?!" Konatsu hissed. He knew that Jason was telling the truth. His own kind had encountered various oni and spirits throughout the years. If there were some of these chasing Jason, then he was quite right. They could be in danger.

Ukyo sat silently, lost for words. The color had drained from her face slightly, but she showed no other outward signs of surprise to Jason's words. She cleared her throat a little, and continued her questioning.

"What did your ancestors do?"

Jason took in a shaky breath, then continued.

"I can't tell you all the details, but they sealed away a class 5 Demon that they couldn't defeat. The spell banished him from this plane of existence. Ever since then, all the servants of this chief demon have been chasing my family throughout the years."

Ukyo looked down at the bed, not exactly sure what to make of Jason's story. A quick glance at Konatsu told her that Jason's words held some truth. She knew the ninja well enough to be able to tell when he was worried, and he was certainly that right now. And hadn't the Tendo's recently encountered an Oni? An unpleasant feeling settled itself in her stomach.

"Wow," she breathed. "Hell of an inheritance."

Jason snorted. "Yeah, tell me about it. Listen, Ukyo… this is why I need to find Ranma. I'm in a little… trouble right now. I'm in the right line of work to be privy to some of Ranma's more famous accomplishments. When I heard that he'd taken down the immortal Phoenix Saffron, he topped my charts for who to call on in a rough patch. I _have_ to talk to him, Ukyo. It's vital that I meet him as soon as possible… My life may depend on his help."

Konatsu shot his gaze towards Ukyo, now much more than a little curious what _she_ thought of all of this. Jason obviously believed that needing Ranma's help had become inevitable. He also knew that Jason's explanation had been a seriously condensed version of the true tale, but he expected they'd learn it all soon enough if Ukyo's look was any indication.

"Alright, Sugar," Ukyo answered. "I… know there's a lot more to it than what you've said, but I believe what you _have_ said."

Hope filled Jason's expression, and he looked at Ukyo expectantly. "So… you'll take me to Ranma, then?"

Ukyo nodded slowly. "Hai. I will."

* * *

**Are you still having difficulty being honest with me, Ranma Saotome?**

Ranma snarled. The thing was getting on his nerves, and fast. He'd already said too much, and it was now apparent to him that he could actually _think_ too much around this entity. He didn't like the wall he was being backed into, and was quickly forming a rather large resentment for this particular vision.

"I told ya already, I ain't gonna say nothin!" Ranma spat back, frustration and anger lacing his tone. "If there's somethin ya wanna tell me, then by all means. Otherwise, if you insist on pryin' so much, take a hike!"

**As you wish, Ranma Saotome. You may return to the waking world. When you are prepared to speak to me honestly, seek me out again. Until then, I can do nothing to help you.**

"Help me do _what_?!" Ranma shot back. "If you'd just tell me what the hell's so damned important -"

**Until next time, Ranma Saotome.**

"WAIT!!" Ranma hollered, even as the world around him began fading into white. "DAMMIT, JUST TELL ME WHAT'S GOIN' ON!!"

Dizziness took him, and his vision began to blur. As he began his slide back to consciousness, he suddenly felt a very large foreboding take hold. His anger mounted at the number of unanswered questions he now had, and his frustration over not knowing the answers fueled his newfound hatred towards whatever that entity had been. Before he crossed the barrier between worlds, a final scowl settled deep into Ranma's expression.

"I'll be back, you bastard. And I'm gonna want answers outta you."

* * *

Kasumi was humming softly to herself, finally settled down enough to enjoy the gentle breeze coming in through the open window. Dinner was almost ready. She was certain the family would enjoy these particular dishes, since she kept them for special occasion cooking. Today, she had prepared a dinner to acknowledge her sister and Ranma's safe return from China.

As if on cue, the front door slammed open, and Kasumi nearly jumped through the roof in surprise.

"Kasumi!" Akane's voice called urgently from the mud room. "Something's happened to Ranma! Come here, quick!"

Kasumi immediately dropped what she was doing, quickly walking to the mud room. She came around the corner and gasped. Akane was standing there, leaning to the side that she used to support an obviously unconscious Ranma.

"Oh, My!" Kasumi explained, rushing over and taking Ranma's other arm. "Akane, what happened?"

They began to walk into the house, turning in the direction of the living area.

"I don't know," Akane answered quickly. "We were sitting at the park, and he suddenly collapsed in pain."

"I'll get a mat and pillow," Kasumi offered once they'd reached the living area.

Akane nodded in reply. As Kasumi hurried out of the room, Akane looked down at Ranma worriedly. She had no idea what had really happened to him, and that was probably what she had the biggest problem with. They'd both been enjoying a peaceful moment for a change. She'd felt warm leaning against Ranma with his arm around her. It had been one of those rare moments for them. The last one she could recall happening had been last Christmas. Out on the patio, looking at the stars, he'd reached out and put his arm around her. Both times it felt… right.

A myriad of emotions swept over her in rapid succession. She couldn't possibly be saying she cared about the stubborn Baka! He was so inconsiderate and self centered. Not to mention a jerk and pervert! She hated him… didn't she? It was a little hard to consider this properly when her heart raced so quickly. A blush crossed her face un-beckoned, and she looked back up at the sound of Kasumi returning with the mat and pillow.

The older sister quickly had the mat laid out with the pillow placed at one end of it. She took Ranma's other shoulder once again, helping Akane to lay him down.

Once he was laid in place, Akane scooted back a little to kneel near his head off the mat.

"I'll go get a washcloth," Kasumi said before leaving the room once more.

Akane was left alone with her thoughts again. As she watched Ranma, she felt concern wash over her. He looked like he was dreaming, and from the faces he was making, it didn't look like a good one. What was bothering him? What the hell was that sudden burst of pain he felt? She'd never seen _anything_ make Ranma shed tears like that. They'd fallen so fast, she could only imagine the level of pain he'd experienced. Maybe an injury from his fight with Saffron was finally rearing it's head. Had he been ignoring the pain, hoping it would eventually go away? If he'd made her worry and it turned out to be what she was thinking, she'd have to knock some sense into him the second he was recovered.

There was a purple blur, and Happosai was suddenly standing in the room, looking around frantically.

"Akane!" He looked down, and his eyes widened. "Ranma?!"

"Happosai?" Akane looked curiously at him. Normally the old letch had a swelling bag of his 'haul' strapped to his back, but today he appeared to be empty-handed.

"What happened?" The grandmaster asked, the look of impending doom not fading from his face.

"He just collapsed at the park," Akane answered quietly, casting her eyes over to Ranma once more. "He looked like he was in a lot of pain, too. He clutched at his stomach, hollering like someone was gutting him… and then it just passed, and he fainted."

Happosai's eyes widened as Akane told her tale, his face paling a little more. His worst fear was slowly being confirmed.

"Oh No… It's started!" Happosai wailed. "Purchitti's out! That's the only thing this could mean!!"

He had to do more research before he gave himself completely over to that assumption, but he was more than certain of what he would find. All the signs were there: An aura of evil hung thick in the air, its fearsome side-effects completely recognizable to him. Cologne had felt it too, but he'd refused to go into any detail with her as it looked like the Amazons had been packing to leave. Obviously, Ranma had succumbed to the unpleasantness that exposure to the evil brought about at first. Admittedly, it was only those who were able to sense and manipulate life energy that were capable of feeling the pull, so it was of no surprise to the old master that Ranma had felt it, but Akane had not. He suspected that, if he were still here, the good Dr. Tofu would have recognized the signs that something was amiss as well.

Akane was puzzled. Purchitti? Who the hell was _that_? The name clearly meant something to Happosai, but the expression on his face seemed to suggest that this 'Purchitti' character was someone to be afraid of. By all accounts, the old man's knees may as well have been knocking from the fear written all over him. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she took in a breath to ask Happosai what he was talking about. Before she had a chance, however, the old letch spoke up once more.

"I'd best go find him," He seemed to be muttering this more to himself than speaking to Akane directly, looking both left and right again like he expected something to jump out at him at any second. "Maybe he can help me figure this mess out…"

With that said, Happosai disappeared from the house in a blur of purple motion. Akane released the breath she'd taken in with a loud and aggravated sigh. Happosai was always so secretive about what he was up to that she really couldn't give a further damn, and dismissed the name 'Purchitti' from her mind.

Kasumi came back into the room, a washcloth and a dish of water in her hands. As she knelt down beside Ranma and applied the cool compress, excess water ran swiftly down either side of the unconscious boy's head, triggering his change.

"I hope Ranma won't be angry about that when he wakes up," Kasumi sighed. "I know how much his curse bothers him."

Akane smiled lightly, remembering the words Ranma had said to her when they found the Jusenkyo springs flooded out.

_Maybe this was never a curse that was meant to be cured…_

"I think he might just surprise you a little bit on that one," she sighed once more, mental exhaustion preventing her from saying much more than that. She had too much stuff swimming around inside her head to pay much attention to a conversation with her older sister. There were simply too many unanswered questions. She was still wondering what he'd been talking with Ukyo about, and quickly considered the possibility that the young Okonomiyaki chef had done something to Ranma. The idea was quickly dismissed, however, since she couldn't bring herself to even imagine Ukyo hurting Ranma in any way. Shampoo, on the other hand… She never put _anything_ past the Amazons. But there was no indication that Shampoo had been to see Ranma today. In fact, she was certain that the purple-haired moron hadn't set foot near Ranma since their return from China, save for her hand in destroying their wedding. Even then, Akane had been in visual range of the Chinese Bimbo pretty much the entire time. No, she was sure something else was wrong.

"Where the hell am I _now_?" Ryouga's voice drifted to her ears, causing both herself and Kasumi to look out the opening to the back yard where it had come from. There, standing facing the estate wall to the right, was the lost boy. A confused look was plastered across his face as he tried to establish his exact whereabouts. Akane giggled softly at his perplexity.

"Over here, Ryouga," she chuckled. Ryouga turned to look at her, mildly startled at first until he recognized who was speaking to him.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Hi, Akane! Hi, Kasumi. What are _you_ two doing in Hong Kong?"

"Silly Ryouga," Kasumi smiled. "This isn't Hong Kong. This is our house!"

Ryouga blinked a couple of times as his exhausted mind processed this information. Yet again, he had let himself get completely lost. He'd asked that kind gentleman for directions to Hong Kong so he could pick up some supplies he'd wanted. As far as he could remember, the man had said west, and Ryouga was certain he'd headed in the indicated direction… or was it south? Finally, he let out a huff and shrugged his shoulders. He could always pick up what he wanted another time. For now, he'd found himself facing Akane again. Surely this was love that kept guiding him back to her!

"Oh, Ok." Ryouga turned and stepped into the room. As he cast his eyes to the floor, they grew in size. There before him, Ranma was laid out on a mat, a cool cloth over her head. Further observation told him that it was the compress that had triggered the young martial artist's curse. A groan passed Ranma's lips, her face contorting in differing expressions of frustration and anger.

_He's dreaming…_ Ryouga observed. _Doesn't look like it's a pleasant one, either. Not that I give a damn about that cad's discomfort. He can rot, for all I care! Because of him, I've seen hell!!_

"Ranma…" he finally breathed. He had no incentive to be civil to the insensitive clod, but with Ranma passed out, there was no real need to be rude or inconsiderate. Not to mention the fact that Akane was there, looking quite worried, to boot. He briefly pondered why Akane would feel that way towards Ranma, but the memories of Jusendo came rushing back to him all too quickly. His heart twisted in his chest as he took a step forward, leaning beside Ranma on the opposite side of the mat from Akane.

"I don't know what happened," Akane said quietly. "He just collapsed in pain. It was quick, whatever it was. He was unconscious within seconds…"

Akane's head fell, her gaze moving to the floor as she continued to consider possible explanations for the strange phenomenon. Ryouga took in her expression again, and a growl slipped past his vocal chords.

"Damn you, Ranma," he intoned, keeping his voice down for fear of disturbing Akane further. "How could you let Akane worry about you like this?"

"It's not his fault, Ryouga," Kasumi replied, looking over at him with mild surprise at his behavior towards someone who was obviously down and out. "Something happened to him that he had no control over. He didn't pass out on purpose just to bother Akane, you know."

Ryouga felt foolishness wash over him at Kasumi's statement. She was right, of course. By Akane's description, he had collapsed in a sudden burst of pain and lost consciousness because of it.

So what held such incredible power that it could bring Ranma down so fast? Not even Saffron had been able to make him collapse in such a fashion. His curiosity took over, his brief spell of imprudence forgotten as he continued to wonder what it could have been.

"I don't understand," he finally sighed. "Where were you when this happened?"

"At the park," Akane looked back up at him. "Do you know anything about this, Ryouga?"

Ryouga racked his brain as he attempted to come up with an answer for Akane. He considered everything that he could, but came up with no explanation. He couldn't think of anything that could attack so swiftly, and without being seen. Finally, disheartened by the fact that he couldn't be of any help to Akane, Ryouga shook his head in response.

"No, I don't. I've never heard of anything that could do this. Not without being seen if it was that fast, and not without taking much longer if it was hidden somehow. This seems… almost more like it's spirit related or something. Has Dr. Tofu been here to look at his Chi?"

There was no way for Ryouga and Akane to miss the sudden downfallen expression on Kasumi at the lost boy's words. Her head fell a little, her hand rising slowly to rest above her heart as a small amount of the depression she'd been feeling earlier that day came back to her. Tofu was gone, leaving no one that knew where to find him. Keeping herself facing slightly away from Ryouga, she answered him.

"No one has seen or heard from Tofu for some time now."

Ryouga's heart went out to Kasumi instantly, and he moved a little closer, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder as he spoke with a reassuring tone.

"I'm sorry, Kasumi. He must have had a good reason for leaving. I'm sure he'll be back."

Kasumi smiled as best she could back at Ryouga, knowing that, even if it didn't really help, he was just trying to make her feel better.

"Thank you, Ryouga. That was kind of you to say."

"Unh… my head…" Ranma's voice drifted weakly up from the mat, causing three pairs of eyes to shoot in his direction.

"Ranma!" Akane exclaimed, moving a little closer to her.

Ranma turned her eyes in Akane's direction, trying to focus on her as she fought the haze in her mind for sight. She blinked a couple of times before her pupils slowly began to open again, the world returning to focus around her.

"Akane?" she breathed, seeing her clearly now. Concern was written all over Akane's face, her flushed features telling Ranma that she was relieved to see her awake. Ranma felt her heart begin to rise at the sensations this evoked, her senses quickly returning.

"I'm… back at the house."

Akane nodded, her mind filling with reprieve at the sight of Ranma's open eyes and apparent centeredness. She saw no trace of the pain as the cursed martial artist slowly sat up, hands remaining planted firmly on either side of herself.

"I carried you here. I… didn't know what else to do really."

"I think you owe her a thank you for that, Ranma!" Ryouga growled now. "She didn't have to be so nice to you, considering how you treat her all the time!"

"Ryouga!" Kasumi scolded the lost boy immediately. "Honestly, is this any way to behave towards someone who's recovering?"

Ranma blinked at Kasumi, almost resenting the implication that she was down and out in any way.

"Aw, I'm fine." she hopped to her feet to prove her point. The sudden motion brought on a head rush, and Ranma wobbled a little before getting her bearings straight, a hand moving to her temple sympathetically. "Just got a bit of a headache, that's all."

"Ranma Saotome?"

Everyone's eyes shot back to the opening to the yard at the sound of a stranger's voice.

Black runners slid over feet dressed in black socks. Jeans were faded blue and showing signs of ware in various areas, held in place by a wide black leather belt with a gold buckle that bore what looked like a family crest. A black muscle shirt was tucked into the waist, and partially covered by an open jean-jacket which looked like it had been dyed a medium purple. The sleeves of the jacket were ripped off at the upper forearms, a pair of red armlets worn in place of them. Dirty blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail that fell to mid-back length, with long bangs hanging unkempt to dangle in front of a slender, yet young looking face. Piercing navy blue eyes shone out at the group.

"Have we met?" Ranma finally asked the figure.

"Not officially," came the reply, not a fraction of the new arrival's posture changing. "I need to speak with you. It's a matter of some urgency. Can we step outside for a moment?"

Ranma blinked, tossing this over in her head for a moment before finally giving a single nod.

"Yeah, sure."

The figure turned and stepped further into the yard, Ranma following close behind. As they reached the middle of the yard, the man stopped and turned to face her.

"Before we talk, there's something I need to do… and I'm sorry about this in advance."

Ranma frowned. "What do you mean?"

Without another word, the man reached to the back of his jacket and pulled out matching Dirks, establishing an attack posture in the blink of an eye.

"DEFEND YOURSELF!!"

That said, he leapt at Ranma with deadly intent.

* * *

**Next up, Ranma battles for his life against the new arrival. But just what are Jason's true intentions? And why is Shampoo suddenly hell beant on carrying out the Kiss of Death on Akane?**

**Review away, folks! It's all motivational material for me! You know you wanna...**

**MattSaotome**


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